Diamonds in the Rough

As a parent, I think of my children as diamonds in the rough. It's my job to polish them (knock off the edges) and make them the best they can be so that the rest of the world can recognize and appreciate the many facets of their brilliance. Some kids require more work than others and the beauty may be hidden a little deeper, but it's there to be found if you work hard enough.

I'm incredibly proud of my 10-yr-old son right now. His friend, who moved here from Europe last year, went trick-or-treating with us last night. This is his second Hallowe'en in Canada and he doesn't really get the concept of the greedy candy grab with which North American children have been indoctrinated. This friend had a great time with my three boys and was amazed at the amount of candy he amassed in an hour. Then, however, he had had enough. He was satisfied with his haul and was ready to be done. My boys, on the other hand, were still raring to go. The weather was cooperative this year and they were taking full advantage of the mild weather - one can run faster to many more houses when not encased in a snowsuit! My son, who usually is oblivious to the concerns of others and doesn't think more than three seconds ahead, opted to stop with his friend and hang out at the house with me while my husband continued with our two younger boys. My son did this to keep his friend company, knowing full well that he was going to end up with significantly less candy than his siblings. Wow. Self sacrifice for the benefit of someone else. Who is this kid and what has he done with my son?

At times like this I think that perhaps I'm doing something right in this parenting game. Repeated grinding and polishing is revealing a beautiful facet of my son's personality. I'm a very proud and happy mum.