When do we stop being our kids’ lawyers? And why?

My friends know that no matter what I am a kids’ pro bono lawyer on a 24/24, seven days a week duty.

My colleague was upset. At his daycare, her four year son drew a picture of him in future. It was a black painting with couple of squares underneath and a sketch for a human being. „Shall I take this to a psychoanalyst?!”. She looked determined. Relieved she did not say “shrink”!

”Why?” I asked in dismay. „Have you asked him, your son, what he meant to draw?” . „Yes, in the morning”.

„And?”. „He told me the black was for the smoke from a huge fire, and the squares are firefighter trucks and the boy is him in the future, a firefighter!”.

„See, I told her, no need for a psychoanalyst. All you need is to ask him. And I think he is altruistic, concerned about others’ needs, generous and used black/bold to draw attention to danger.”

There was a momentary mental shift in her head, on this occasion at least, I hope.

Children give back what they get or they raise above. Have no expectations of them being our lawyers in due time, if we have not exemplified this role ourselves.

My child is very quick in ordering her father to kiss me. The other day, he asked her to tell me to kiss him.  She made a gesture saying there is nothing I can do 🙂