The Best Secret Ever, A Secret Re-Defined

I was talking on the phone with my sister while Matthew was upstairs with his Daddy in the computer room. He knew I was on the phone, and since he always wants to talk to the people I’m talking to, he eventually picked up the phone.

"Hi," he said.
"I am fantastic," he added, answering my sister.
"I have to tell you something—Daddy is making a card for Mommy for Christmas, a photo of me," he told her (it was Ukrainian Christmas today). Meanwhile, Daddy, in the background, was telling Matthew that it was a secret.
"It’s a secret! Daddy is making a photo of me for Mommy," Matthew continued.
"Mommy, it’s a secret! Don’t tell anyone," he added, running over to me after the phone call.

"Matthew, that’s the best secret! I won’t tell anyone," I replied.

Matthew hung up the phone, but came back a couple of seconds later.
"And I’m secretly Superman, okay, I got to go now. Bye-bye!" And that was it.

The News Guy

Toys, toys everywhere. We live in toy land. We don’t have a big house, so containing a child in one small space full of toys is tough. We gave in and let it be.

This Christmas, we treated ourselves to a new television, a flat screen. It was time to retire the old beast. We strapped the new TV onto a stand, but with all the stories about TVs falling on children, we continue to remind Matthew that it’s dangerous to hover around it.

The other day, for whatever reason, Matthew ran toward the TV with his toy. As we needed a moment to scratch our heads, I raised my voice to stop him from going any further. Matthew got a little shy. I gave him a serious look but then lowered my tone to explain again.

"Matthew, you don’t want to fall into the TV," I said, for whatever reason.
"And yeah, I don’t want to be a news guy, too," he replied, laughing.

"Come here, you joker. I need to give you a hug and a kiss," I said, opening up my arms.

No I Am Not Ready For School YET!

Matthew will be 3 1/2 next week, and soon we’ll be looking for potential schools for him. He’ll be starting Junior Kindergarten (JK) next September. Where did the time go? It’s been spent raising this wonderful little boy, who will soon be going to school, learning, and spending most of his days on his own—five days a week. Deep inside, I’m not ready to let him go just yet, but I know I have to. My boy is growing up.

So, really, what’s all the fuss about?

Well, it’s just JK, right? But our provincial system has implemented full-time Junior Kindergarten. It used to be two full days a week, but starting next year, it’ll be five.

That’s the fuss. Typical mother worries, I guess, but I still think that going to school full time at 4 years old might be a bit much. I’m sure there’s an economic benefit behind the system, but I’m not benefiting from it. I’m sure he’ll love it, though. He really enjoys being around other little people.

Let’s see what my little bright child thinks about it all.

"So, Matthew, you know you’re going to school next year?" I ask him.
"Yes, and there will be children to play with, a teacher, and I’ll learn," he replies.
"But Matthew, what am I going to do all day without you?" I ask.
"You will cook and wait for me, Mommy," he says.
"I guess I’ll have to give you a lunch box to take to school," I conclude.

Well, he’s right. This is what I do most of the day: I cook for him, we walk, visit other children, go to playgrounds, hike, read, play, watch TV, and play games. He knows that cooking is the one activity he can’t do with me, so I guess I’ll keep cooking while he takes most of his activities with him to school.

I thought it was entertaining what he said about me cooking and waiting. We asked him again in front of my family. His answer was always the same, but he added:

"And wait, Mommy will give me a big box of food to eat."

We all laughed. I’m amazed that he remembered the lunch box, and lately, he’s been asking me if he can have chicken soup in his big box of food.

Can you see? We just have too much fun together. "No, I’m not ready to send him to school yet."

Too Much Growing Up

How can Matthew forget about something we took away from him? Everywhere he looks—on the internet, in stores, and newspapers—there’s the Nintendo DS.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to our local mall, Upper Canada Mall. They have a few little attractions—a playground, rides, and spinning wheel games.

When we arrived at the amusement area, I could immediately see Matthew’s eyes widen. He noticed that the Nintendo DS was one of the prizes in the spinning wheel machine.

"Mommy, get this, get this, the Nintendo DS!" he got excited.

"Matthew, we don’t know if we can win it," I replied.

"Mommy, win this, win this!" he kept asking.

"Okay, let’s see," I said, taking some cash for three tries to accumulate points for the prize.

While I was spinning the wheel, Matthew cheered me on, jumping around and pointing at the game console. "Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS!" he yelled. Yes, yelling. Luckily, there were no spectators.

Well, we didn’t win the Nintendo DS, but we did get a soccer-ball key chain.

I tell you, the marketing strategies for toys and video games are not helping me.

Later that day, we went home, and Matthew took his regular nap. When he woke up, he started asking again about the Nintendo DS.

"Mommy, can I get the Nintendo DS?" he asked as soon as he woke up. Talking about persistence.

"No, Matthew, not yet. You need to be a big boy, like 5 or 6 years old," I told him again for the millionth time.

"But Mommy, I’m 3 years old, and 5 years old is too much growing up!" he replied.

I smiled.

Little Charmer

I was cooking and he stood behind me.

'Mommy can I have Nintendo DS' - Matthew asked me the other day.
'Why?' - I asked him back.
'Because I love you' - he replied and smiled.

I did not know what to say, so I smiled back and gave him a hug. Then I remembered ...

'When you are five years old as we agreed' - I whispered to his ear.
'Okay' - he replied and left to play with his toys.