Initiative

Last night, I asked Calder to help me keep the laundry and then got busy selecting clothes for ironing. I was surprised that he not only kept his own briefs (the first step whenever I set him this task), he went on to keep Daddy's clothes, socks etc. Previously he would wait for instructions for every set of clothes, sometimes even for every individual article. This time round, he not only kept the clothes, he folded them on his own (previously I fold and he keeps). And when the clock struck 9 and I asked him to tell Daddy "It's time to go to sleep" (so Daddy can start the bedtime procedure), he went straight into the toilet and began brushing his teeth. Hallelujah! Is my Pinocchio turning into a real boy?

Let there be Light

Had to prepare dinner so I asked Calder to go practise his piano. And so we were serenaded by Calder's music, piece after piece for 45 minutes, until Ethel decided to use the toilet in the piano room. She came running back. "Mommy, Calder has been playing in the dark! He was squinting at his score!" Oh, no wonder he played so softly. It is not the first time Calder plays piano in the dark. All because no one instructed him to turn on the light.