Cheese

Cheese may be the word that best describes this boy. Maybe, ham. He absolutely enjoys the spotlight. We get this type of look many times each day.

His main goal in life is to be recognized. I was the oldest so this was never a problem for me. There is a certain confidence that come from being first. You just know that you are bigger and more capable. Your schemes are more likely to work. You know that the siblings all covet your position and want to be you. At least when they are the ages of my kids. And your parents make you stronger still by making you their go-to kid.

Despite this position of last, Timothy does not lack confidence. All he needs to be happy is to make the older kids laugh. He is just beginning to understand that if he can't make them laugh at him, there are other, less pleasant ways to gain attention. But pouring on the charm is always his first line of attack. He really knows how to work his eyes. And his impish grin tells us that he knows what he is doing.

If Tim were a role playing character, he would have an 18 charisma. He bewitches those around him, causing them to bend to his desires. While this is definitely a skill to be cultivated, it needs some refinement. He gets everyone around him to take care of him. Someone to change the channel. Someone to get his Graham crackers. Someone to play trains with him. He has identified the big hearted and uses his powers to take advantage of them. But he is old enough to do many of these things himself.

Which brings me back to the cheesy picture. The other night Tim was taking a bath. After I scoured the dirt from his skin, I left him to play. I stayed within earshot but tended to other nearby matters, like folding the heaps of laundry on my bed so that I could sleep in said bed later that night. When I returned to check on him, I found him washing his face with soap and a washcloth. Since I have more demands on my time now than when I only had one kid, it is way easier to just do it for him. I never thought to show him how to wash his face. Obviously, he is ready.

He may regret his initiative because it got me thinking. Now, I'm teaching him to dress and undress himself. He is expected to clear his dinner plate and load it in the dishwasher. And I'm not backing down when I ask him to clean up his toys. I know all this would be easier in two months when we are the only two home all day. But I can't risk two more months of bad habits. There will still be more to learn in the fall. I'm saving potty training then.