I recently got to spend almost four days with my eldest grandchild. These were very, very special days - days that just do not come along often enough - when you can spend time, one-on-one with a grandchild. I am currently in my second seventh-heaven because Princess Leia is here with Grandpa Hoo and I for almost four days.
Life just doesn't get much better.
I did learn - or, I guess I should say "remember" - that young children are very smart. They are sponges that not only absorb EVERY word, sound, inflection, statement, action, but they have incredible memories and they are not shy about proclaiming their prolific memory prowess. Their short stature and low age mask the real high intelligence and acuity hiding behind this child-like appearance. Do not let these pint-sized smarties fool you. You may think you are looking at six-year olds but you are really dealing with whizzes that can out-think you every step of the way.
Take, for instance, the game "Connect Four". TEM (The Eldest Musketeer formerly known as TLV - The Little Voice) is very good at this game. Scary good, in fact. I did not get a chance to match up with him during the Holly Daze, but Grandpa Hoo did and he had reported that TEM beat him over and over. Well, I thought either Grandpa Hoo was exaggerating or had simply let TEM win over and over. Turns out, Grandpa Hoo was doing neither.
The kid is good. Scary good.
He and I played together several times during his stay here. At first, I let that cherubic little face lull me into complacency.......until he had beaten me about ten times and I thought I'd best start paying attention. He can see possibilities before they exist AND he can anticipate his opponent's next move. When I arrived at the choir rehearsal I direct every week, I had been beaten, legitimately, more times I could count and I told the men that trying to beat my almost six-year old grandson at "Connect Four" should not be so hard.
Pay close attention to short people masquerading as children. They learn almost everything faster than "we" do and they remember much more.
Ancora imparo
