Watching Manners
May 9, 2008
I had an interesting day taking care of Random Granddaughter. I will write more about it later, but for now a exchange from this morning.
RG was having a “trouble with good manners” morning. Mommy asked her three times to fetch some spoons for everybody at the breakfast table so everyone could eat their cereal. RG ignored her, though eventually enough gentle pressure was exerted that she fetched spoons. Each person received two spoons. I admired RG’s very subtle dig.
“How are the manners at pre-school?” I asked.
RG said, “Pretty good…but the boys don’t have very good manners,” she said.
I started laughing so hard, RG looked alarmed.
Mommy said, reassuringly, “Granddpa is not laughing at you. He just thought you were pointing out something that is true at other places.”
If I can get there in time, I may go watch RG at her swimming lesson tonight.
May 9, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Very funny. And a sharp and precise sense of sarca…I mean humor! Who might she have inherited that from, Random?…Random? Hello? She’ll make you proud!
May 9, 2008 at 10:37 pm
How could she inherit from me when their is no genetic connection. Do you think it is catching?
After I picked her up from her pre-school, I said, “Do you want me to be ’silly’ or serious? ['Silly' seems to make more sense to her than 'crazy' or 'sarcastic'.]
“Silly,” she said.
I said, “Here are the rules. As long as you don’t do anything dangerous or that causes trouble, I will let you be in charge. If you cause trouble, I will turn into a mommy and be bossy.”
She was pretty good most of the day. I’ll tell about when she wasn’t, later.
May 10, 2008 at 12:37 pm
RG sounds like such a hoot. I love your stories about her, she’s just so precious.
May 10, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I wonder what RG thinks of Grandpa’s manners.
May 10, 2008 at 10:21 pm
I’ve pulled the two-spoon sarcasm trick myself, but not with spoons.
May 12, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Good point on the “No genetic relation” Random. Lets call it sarcasm by association!
May 13, 2008 at 12:05 am
Jane,
I asked RG about Grandpa’s manners. The first time I asked she maintained a discreet silence. The second time I asked she bobbed her head to indicate, “Yes.”
That was very polite of her.
Pete,
I think RG has some natural talent in the direction of sarcasm. It’s just a coincidence she was born into this family.
May 13, 2008 at 4:43 am
‘ “Pretty good…but the boys don’t have very good manners,” ‘
RG is uncannily prescient, I prophesy a glorious future for her in politics if she can cut to the chase like this at her age.
May 13, 2008 at 2:14 pm
truce,
The following is true. (I am not good at writing fiction and except for the occasional clumsy satire, seldom attempt it.) When RG was little more than two years old, I saw her mommy introduce her to a little boy she had never met before.
Without saying a word, RG slapped him hard on the face. Probably she sensed some need for the slap maybe 18 years in the future.
This is why I am not encouraging RG to go into politics. Although her mommies often explain to her that invading other countries for preemptive reasons is wrong, she is a very strong-willed little girl. I doubt that placing a military in her hands would be a good idea.
May 13, 2008 at 4:26 pm
How could she inherit from me when their is no genetic connection. Do you think it is catching?
I think nurture plays a large part in our personalities!