Best Decision I Made All Day...

    As happens a lot lately, after we put the girls to bed, they stay up for a little while and talk to each other, which I am OK with if it doesn't go on too long (30 minutes or so is not bad). After 20-30 minutes I will stop in and lightly tell them to go to sleep but caution them that the next time I come back I will be "mean". That usually does it, but tonight they were already on two such visits and I could still hear them talking away from my seat on the couch downstairs. Big Bang Theory was on so I didn't do anything... until I heard the pitter-patter of little feet on the floor and that did it. I climbed the stairs two at a time, my anger climbing up my throat with each step, ready to let out a vengeful "Go To Bed" roar! I was about to grab the handle and throw the door open, when for some reason I stopped and listened. I tell you Dear Readers, it was the best decision I made all day. 






       I stood there in the dark upstairs hallway, ear pressed to their door, listening to them talking. This is what I heard: 
" Shrimp is healthy" says the oldest daughter
" No it's not!" replies the youngest
" Yes it is, its fishes so it's healthy!"
" But what about crabbies? They're yucky"
" No they're not. They're in the ocean so they're fishes too"
" Yeah well I don't like shrimps, they're yucky"

     This exchange made me smile to myself and the anger just melted away. It vanished. Actually I was ashamed to be mad at them in the first place. I silently opened the door and listened in again; they had not stopped talking...

The youngest says " Do you want to use my blankie?"
" No, it's OK"
" But it's warm and soft."
" I know, but jyeh-jyeh has her own Ariel blanket" says the oldest, using third person Chinese for 'big sister' again
" Yeah but I want to share my blanket with you. Do want to feel it? Its really soft"

     At that moment, it dawned on me that while my Wife and I are important to them as their parents, conversations like this between them will continue to evolve and develop and grow deeper such that they will know each other as well if not better than we will know them. It also occurred to me that I narrowly missed this interchange, this gift of a moment in the life of my daughters. I would have missed this chance to learn how well they talk to each other and how much they can care for each other, when it counts most; when no one is looking.

     At a pause in their conversation, I gently opened the door and went in. I gave them both a stern but loving look and told them to go to bed. They both smirked at me and I smirked back, then I quietly walked out. They have been quiet ever since.

As I said, it was the best decision I made all day.







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