Letter to my children: Equity and watches

Dearest Beloveds,

I now understand why Tia and I both had the same pogo stick, the same jumping ball, the same wooden flipping ball toy (which I still have for both for you).

Sometimes, it is easier to just stop the sibling bickering by going double. Which is why, Dragon, you now have a matching watch (different color watchband, which has elicited more drama than I would have imagined) to your sister. She received hers for Christmas when she was almost 7. You are four and a half.

It arrived on Thursday and I buckled it tight over your wrist.

“Momma, you need to teach me how to read it!”

“Okay, the short hand points to the hours. The first step is to teach you your numbers up to 12.”

By Saturday, you had nailed that part of this.

Sunday morning, “Momma, I need to know what all of the small numbers mean!”

Your father interjects, “Well Dragon, now we need to teach you your numbers up to 60. Why don’t you count them for us as far as you can go.”

“One, two , three, four,,….19.” There is a long pause. Bean, you lean over and whisper in your brother’s ear.

“20”

“21, 22, …28,” Dragon, you slow down, and lean towards your sister, “29”

Pause.

The Bean whispers in your ear, ”30.”

“31, 32,…”

All the way up to 60, the two of you bending back and forth for the 40, the 50, and finally the 60.

You did the same dance this morning. Dragon, you ran around the living room and then would circle back to the Bean for help getting to the next decade. The Bean would whisper in your ear because you both wanted to keep her help a secret from your Momma.

“All the way up to 60! Well done Dragon!” And both of you would smile - your conspiracy intact.

It is wonderful.

Thank you for being my amazing children. I love love you.