So I was walking home from the library with DS this afternoon and he was chattering away, today about a robot organic cow which makes the milk and puts it in the lunchbox sized cartons inside of the cow and then the trucks back up to the cow and the cartons come out all filled one at time. A lady passed us on the street and heard him and turned around and said wow, he is so smart, and asked him, how old are you, and he said I'm 4 and I can read. She turn to me and said again, wow he is so smart - and with this whole discussion in my head, I paused possibly too long and said thank you!!!! Exactly like you shellymos but I didn't know what to say. But what was also interesting is that I sort of cringed inside that DS said he could read - the volunteering of the information. This has happened before and my response instinctively seems to be don't brag, as if he said I'm so handsome. So once home I asked him why he told the lady he could read and he said because he wanted her to know he could do it.
I think he is starting to really notice the comments from adults and seems to have chosen to wear his skills with pride, yes, let me tell you what else I can do. But he doesn't do anything like that with kids his age. But it really is awkward for adult and kid to be called out like that in a way that doesn't leave you a good way to respond. And again rather like the initial post she didn't say oh what an imaginative story, it was about the innate. But I guess in some way it is like saying oh, what a cute baby but somehow it feels like a complement wrapped in a, wow that's strange.
Hmm, not sure if its just interesting timing or that your post struck me more than I thought!! And good thing she didn't see the books we had in the bag!!!
DeHe
