I’m starting to think that Kenyan’s have a very different idea on how to help children develop positive self image, well actually, a different idea on interacting with children in general.
My first clue to this was the large Kenyan man working in the toy store that grabbed Lucy’s arm and said in a not child friendly voice, “Hey little girl, come here, or I’ll take you to the police!”
Scary. Sure, that will endear any child to you. Absolutely.
Eli is a little short for his age. He’s well aware of this fact especially as many locals like to point it out to him. Over, and over, and over. The waitress at Java House almost had Eli in tears insisting that he could only be 2 and not 4 years. Not being that short. He was so insistent I had to step in and vouch for him.
This is Eli’s self-portrait, and it’s actually pretty darn accurate, all the way down to his ears that stick out a little. All the better to hear you with!
Spikey hair, check. Short legs, check. Biggish ears, check. No arms. Hmmm. I’m no child psychologist, oh wait, I’m a school psychologist….but I’m choosing to think that for now, it’s because he’s happy letting mom help him out rather than being helpless.
Speaking of helpless, that was me when Eli came home telling me what his teacher kept saying to him the last week of school before break. I can hear it being said in jest, but you know, this kid is getting a little sensitive about his self image when it comes to height. His teacher said, “Eli, you must be shrinking!!! You are shrinking. You are getting shorter”!
I laughed when he first told me. Wrong response. Bad mom. Gotta work on that.
He’s actually perfect, just he way he is!