Strengths

More and more I find that I’m considering the different skills that Topher and I bring to the parenting table.

He’s a great playmate for Piper, seriously great at just sitting on the floor with her and getting into whatever little game she might be creating. Don’t get me wrong, he has moments when he phones it in like all parents do, making sure she doesn’t electrocute herself and not much else, but more often than not he’s really great about really playing with her.

I don’t think I’m as great of a playmate, truth be told, although I find myself engaging with her more as she picks up more words and becomes a more verbal communicator.

Let’s be honest, I’m a talker.

But there’s another piece to it. When I see her playing with her books by herself, making up little stories and talking to herself, I don’t feel the need to disturb her. I don’t see a child playing alone as a person in need of companionship or interruption. I enjoy solitude and always got along alright without playmates. Piper talked up a storm on vacation, lots more than she usually does at daycare. Sometimes I think she enjoys having some quiet space around her and I want to respect her need to decompress a bit because I think that space gives her the opportunity to develop in other areas that can be stifled by daycare.

But. I have no idea how her life will change someday when we bring another baby home (People? No misunderstandings here: Today is not that day. Neither is 9 months from today. Simmer down.) and she has to be a big sister. Someday she’s going to have to deal with another little person who, from what I understand of younger siblings, is going to want to be all up in her business.

I’m not going to know what to do with that. I mean, at all. My advice will probably alternate between “Be nice to your baby brother, he’s littler than you and just wants to do everything you do because he thinks you’re so great!” and “Dude, I don’t know what to tell you. You might try locking him in the attic, or tying him up. Sorry Mommy can’t be of more help.”.

So. I’m glad she’ll have Topher for advice in that realm.

And she can always come to me when her high school friends make fun of her for carrying a book with her everywhere she goes.

I already have lots of practice with that one.