1. They learn what they want to, when they want to. Clara has long been an expert in colors. She loves to name all the colors that she sees around her. We've been wanting her to move on to alphabets and numbers and stuff, and when we're not making her she can actually recite them already, but try and make her and she goes, “A...B...schwang...schweng...” Or “One...two..trung...trang...” She seriously speaks this nonsense, I swear. I guess it’s her way of telling us she’s not ready to move on and is content with knowing colors for now. Even if it’s the only thing she knows. Groan.
2. They wield a certain power that is way bigger than their three feet frame. My Tatay wants to catch the News. I wanna see the latest indie film DVD from Quiapo. The littlest lady in the house clamors for Barney. Guess who we end up watching? The purple dinosaur. And it's not even an issue of spoiling your child. It's often a simple matter of giving in to preempt a never-ending tantrum and affording yourself some peace and quiet after a long day at work.
3. They actually grasp the concept of profundities like obsession, love and romance. Clara is fond of declaring, “Obsessed ako sa shampoos, toothpastes, CDs...” She touched my hair one time and asked, “Ganda mommy ko. You have boyfriend in the office?” Maybe I should be preparing for the sex questions next.
4. They can use what you teach them against you. Inay always tells Clara not to touch her food with his hands. So when Ginger the cat scurried thru the room straight to the kitchen table and Inay picked him up Clara screamed, “Wag mo touch si Ginger, Inay! Use your spoon!”
5. They are awfully quick to pick up new words. Clara picked berries from a plant in our garden one time, and I told her to throw them out bcoz they were poisonous. When we got inside, she made a Lego tower, offered it to me and said, “I have a gift for you, Mommy. It's poisonous!”
Or, in relation to #1, you can spend the whole day trying to teach kids to say their names and ages, and all they say is “My name is schwang schweng. I'm trung trang years old.” But try and let slip with one expletive under your breath, and they magically hear it loud and clear and spend the rest of the day sing-songing, “F-ck! F-ck!” or “Sh-t! Sh-t!”
What is it with kids and speed anyway? In the span of time that it takes you to blink an eye they have poured the entire contents of their Moo into your bowl of noodles or torn their nth picture book to shreds. It’s like black magic or something.
6. They're pretty creative even at their early age. They can think up the most colorful excuses out of a sticky situation and the most devious ways to get what they want. So when it's time to brush their teeth, they're going to say, “Sleepy na ko e”, or “Sira wong (read: yung) toothbrush ko”. Or, “Daddy, I love you. Drink ako Coke. Konti lang para hindi ka galit.”
7. They have a clear sense of what they want in life. One day it could be to wear only clothing with Buzz Lightyear in them. Or to listen only to Sam Milby or Sandara Park(s)(?) songs. (At any given time while she's playing you'll hear Clara singing to hemself, “Oh why don't you smile my only star, shine my baby, smile my only star”,
And sometimes they'll even act like they're six feet tall and order their own parents, “No talk!” or “No dance, Mommy!” So much.
8. They're loyal to those they hold dear. So you can take them to Disneyland where they meet Mickey and Winnie and Mulan in the flesh, and guess who they look for? Barney. And you can take them to see a show of dancing sea lions and whales and dolphins, and guess who they call out for? Barney. And you can nurse them till your breasts turn black and blue and guess who they want sleep with? Not you. The purple dinosaur.
9. They can make total strangers fall in love with them at first sight. Which explains why Clara ended up getting free Disney stickers from the Chinese store girl who probably couldn't even understand a word she was babbling about. And why she got a free chocolate-chip cookie from the woman in Chocolate Kiss, when all she did was stand and peer at the glass of cakes.
Why doesn't anyone ever fall in love with me like that? I smile a lot. I will even dance for a free cookie. Dang.
10. They can teach us a thing or two about appreciating what God has blessed us with. There is one thing that Clara never fails to do after she's stripped down for her bath: s she goes around the house, butt-naked and squealing in delight, “Laki pwettt ko!”
And when you come to think of it, it really is a great blessing you should be thankful for at every opportunity. Can you imagine looking down and finding it is no longer there? Disaster.
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