My grandson William has a great "Who's on First" act and he doesn't even know it. You see, William is four. He has entered in to his fearless fours which, having dealt with four-year-olds fairly often, I think should be called the imgonnawhineandwhineuntiligetmyway-fours or the imgrowingupfastbutstillwanttobethebabysowatchmecry-fours.
He is extremely smart, and no, I am not saying that just because he is my grandson. All of my grand kids are smart....but I've been watching children in general and have noticed that all children seem smarter than they were in the past.
Anyway, Will wanted a snack cake the other day. He wanted it right before lunch and I said no. Here is the dialog that ensued...
W (in that familiar whinny voice all parents have come to enjoy): "But I want one"
Me: "No you have to eat your lunch first."
W: "But I want it now."
Me: "You have to eat your lunch first and then you can have a snack cake."
W: "But you said yesterday that I could have it today."
Me: "Yes I did but after your lunch."
W: "But I don't want my lunch...I'm not hungry for lunch today."
Me: "Well then, you'll have to wait until you are hungry for lunch so you can eat your snack cake."
W: "But I want it NOW!"
Me: "Okay, right after you eat your lunch."
W: "But I don't WANT my lunch"
Me: "Okay. Go play and when you want your lunch come tell me."
W: "I want to eat lunch now."
Me: "Okay, what do you want for lunch?"
W: "I don't want to eat lunch."
Me: "Go play then..."
W: "But I want to eat my lunch!"
Me: "What do you want for lunch?"
W: "I want a snack cake. A white one"
Me: "Okay, (he smiles) you can have a snack cake right after you EAT YOUR LUNCH!"
W: (He turns and runs through the house and dramatically throws himself on the couch and cries like his heart is broken...there are no tears. A plaintive muffled voice comes from the middle of the cushion he has buried his face in....) "I want a snack cake now...I don't want to eat my lunch...just a snack cake...you promised...."
His daddy was standing there listening to all of this and when Will ran over and buried his head...his daddy and I looked at each other and silently laughed as we shook our heads.
The minute Will noticed we were basically ignoring his little tirade, he got up and slumped over and said..."I want my lunch now."
Me: "Okay, what would you like for lunch?"
Will: "But I want a snack cake!:
This could have gone on forever but his dad stepped in and put an end to it. Of course with the simple two word command..."Will, stop," the little guy ran and buried his head again but eventually he ate his lunch and, as a result, got his snack cake.
You would think that by the time a child is four they would understand that no means no and that resistance is futile...but they don't. I don't think any of us wants to hear the word "No" but we do...probably every day. We pray and ask for things and most often we hear "no" and we pout and whine and beg and still the answer is "No". But just as I wanted Will to have something good for him before he filled his belly with sweets, God wants us to have what is good for us before He gives us the treats. He wants us to be prepared with the solid food of His word before we step into dessert land. And it's hard. I know there were, and still are, times that I want to through myself down and whine that I want something NOW! but I know God has my life in control and to mess with it would be heartbreaking for me. As a result, I try to be obedient and savour the Word before I ask for treats.
I guess I learn things from the kids. Maybe I'm using my wrinkly brain. According to William...if you are smart, it's because you have a wrinkly brain.
Some peoples four-year-olds.
