1. Listened to Look Again by Lisa Scottoline on my way to Kentucky and back and forth to the school each day. I almost turned it off after the first few paragraphs because of the writing style — very ordinary in a purposeful way, covering mundane detail and sometimes stating the obvious. But the story was interesting, and the somewhat silly romance was still romantic. It’s about a single adoptive mom who finds out her adoption was illegal, and that the kid had been kidnapped.
2. I also listened to Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, on my way back home and for two evenings after. I had never read the book — why read a book about burning books? Everyone knows that book-burning is not good. What else could it possibly have to say?
But it’s Ray Bradbury.
It was a little hard to listen to, because it’s hard to tell sometimes when Bradbury is being literal and when his imagery is waxing metaphoric.
It ends up being less about book-burning or censorship, and more about what book-burning represents in the story — a refusal to live below the surface, a refusal to ever consider anything that might be bothersome or problematic, including authentic relationship.
3. Today we went to the lake beach for the first time this season. On our way we stopped at some stores looking for an inflatable ring for Amy — first store had none but we bought some inflatable arm bands, and then we tried another store and found a nice ring in Amy’s favorite color, green. We met our friends at their house, packed some lunch together, and then hit the beach with some other friends.
After a while, especially after seeing another kid borrow her ring, Amy developed an interest in using her ring, and eventually got quite comfortable with it.
She had a few rather intense reactions to kids touching her or touching her things or getting close.
At one point, while another kid was using the ring, I suggested we try the armbands. Well and good. But then a one-year-old had the audacity to touch one — twice — while she was wearing it. She ran from the water to the blanket, managed to get one armband off rather easily, then struggled with the other, crying.
My first thought was to leave her alone. First of all, she was upset and had the right to cry about it. There’s nothing wrong with crying when you’re upset. If she wanted me, she could ask for me. Secondly, she had no trouble removing the first armband, so surely if I leave her alone she’ll eventually figure out the second, and then it will be all her own accomplishment, which is so important at this age.
I think, though, that I underestimated her level of frustration. And I forgot that sometimes, when you’re upset, you run away and keep stiff but you still really want to be pursued and held.
We recovered (and then had some more mini-meltdowns) and overall I think our first day at the beach this season was a success.
She is really young to ask her to share. As an only child all this interaction will take time and she will probably do better at the edges of an experience rather than right in the thick of things. Some of us are loners and rather socially inept (I am) and this could just be her personality. Hang in there and love her to pieces. You’re the only mother she’s got!
Comment by jan — July 8, 2009 @ 6:05 am |
That’s pretty much what I think, too, about sharing at this age. I think it’s fine for her to be upset, but I also want her to not hit or otherwise take out her upset on the “offender.” I do think I erred on the side of independence today, and would have been better to err on the side of (loving) pursuit.
Comment by Marcy — July 8, 2009 @ 7:04 am |