Word of advice: Remember to mind what you say around little ones unless you’re OK hearing it from them!
Our young daughter, like most pre-schoolers, has a knack of regurgitating previously heard comments at the least appropriate times. I’m sure many of us have looked for a hole to slouch into when their toddlers utter an expletive or unsavory comment in front of their in-laws, when they’re visiting our work, at church, or other such settings. It happens to the best of us!
Fortunately, it also happens it positive ways!
On a migratory morning, I was walking through some local trails with my daughter on my shoulders. As we entered the woods, I started hearing chips above us. Naturally, I stopped in my tracks and started listening more carefully. Not wanting to disturb my daughter’s comfortable perch, I attempted to bring the birds a bit closer. My “Psshh, Psshhh, Pssshh!” barely carried through the emergent vegetation yet it pulled in several species of warbler. We happily continued on our way home.
Two months later, we return to those trails for the first time together since our warbler experience. With my daughter on my shoulders again, I enter the wooded section of the park. Within seconds, I hear birds overhead very quietly warning their nesting neighbors to take cover. The sound is vaguely familiar but not quite recognizable to species.
Unable to locate this very close bird, I gently put her down and scan through the fully leafed canopy. Suddenly, I hear the bird again. It’s on the ground now?!
There is my 1 year old daughter looking up at me, pishing her heart out.
(originally posted July 31, 2006)
No comments:
Post a Comment