Sempi is a big fan of Leonardo Da Vinci. Ever since we got back from Italy he’s been talking about the various inventions of Leonardo. Earlier today he was playing in the park after school. Apparently, he fell down from the monkey bars trying to do something brave. Yoshi took him to the ER and the doctors announced he has a small fracture and put his arm in a sling....
Sempi and I read bedtime books together and discuss the story before he goes to sleep. The story we read had a mention of illegal drugs. Apparently he didn’t know what drugs were. So we discussed what drugs were and how some bad guys can sell drugs to victims and why it is illegal. Suddenly Sempi drops this nugget of wisdom. People are always born to be strong and good. No one is born to be weak or evil....
Sempi (my 6yo son) and I have this tradition of sharing our problems and asking each other’s opinion on how to solve it. We do this while we walk to his school. We’ve been doing this since he was 3. Here’s an example from Portland. Me: When I bike to work, I have to wait a long time for the elevator. Sempi (3yo): You should just build a ramp to your 28th floor, so you can just bike all the way up....
Some nights I read a book about Gandhi to Sempi for bedtime. There is an incident in Gandhi’s life when he’s thrown out of a first-class coach in South Africa because he is not white. I told Sempi that it was an injustice and it doesn’t happen anymore. He listened intently and nodded approvingly. The next night I’m reading a comic about superheros and he asks me, “How come everyone in Justice League is white?...
One of the ways we trained Sempi to say “Please” and “Thank you” is by asking him “What do you say?” after he receives a favor from someone. With that context in mind, this conversation happened in the car. Vian: Can I have that monster truck, Sempi? Sempi: Here you go. Vian takes the truck. Sempi being the responsible older brother wants to teach Vian good manners. Sempi: What do you say, Vian?...