What I Wish My 3 Year Old Could Understand

To my 3 year old son,

One of the most important lessons that you will learn over the course of your life is simple: Be Yourself.

It can be a hard lesson to learn. Peer pressure during your school years can be harsh. Culture will tell you to be this way or that way to fit in with your classmates and want you to follow the latest trends or risky behaviors. Luckily we aren't talking about that level of peer pressure--yet.

The reason I wish you could understand how important it is to "Be Yourself" is because lately, you are forgetting. You have forgotten how pleased you were to learn new words, and speak in sentences, and how proud Daddy and I were of you that we can talk and tell stories together. You worked so hard to learn every new skill you could in your 3 short years. You have become such a funny and charming boy. You are so smart, athletic, artistic, strong, and can do so many cool things.You are becoming more independent too. Remember just this week you went outside all by yourself, for the first time ever, to collect fallen leaves for an art project!

Your sister is just shy of 17 months old and this summer she learned to walk and now she is learning to talk. She has become more opinionated and is developing a personality of her own. You see these developments in her, and you see how proud Daddy and I are of her to be growing into herself and her own personality and acquiring new skills--the same way that you did at that age (and continue to do)! So the green-eyed monster rears its ugly head a lot lately. You know the green-eyed monster....it appeared on a recent episode of The Berenstain Bears where Sister Bear was jealous of Brother Bear's new bike.

From: The Berentain Bears and the Green Eyed Monster

You copy your sister, her grunts and gestures, her way of baby talk. You want to be carried, and dressed, and treated like her. What you don't understand is that she wants to be a big kid like you. She wants to run and jump and be silly just like you. She wants to talk like you and play whatever you play. At your soccer lessons this summer Daddy and I had to constantly pull her away from trying to kick soccer balls so she wouldn't get run over by 3 and 4 year olds. She is still just 1 and rather wobbly. She can't yet do all the wonderful things you can do, but boy does she wish she could!

You don't have to be like your sister to get our love and affection. You just have to Be Yourself. Your wonderful 3 year old self! I'm sorry if I'm not making that obvious. I'll try harder, and I will be patient, and someday you will understand.

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