The Toddler's Tao

Sometimes I watch my 13-month-old son and I try to figure out how he sees the world. From what my limited adult mind can grasp, it's a great view from where he's sitting. Everything is new. He's a blank slate and he wants to be written on by all these wonderful, interesting, very large (compared to him) things. I don't remember what it's like for life to be so simple and uncomplicated, but based on my interactions with him, here are the simple philosophies he lives by:

I see, therefore I can have.
If you don't want me to touch it, don't put it where I can reach it. If I can get to it faster and reach it first, it's mine.

I don't have to be big to get my way. I'm CUTE!
There isn't much that they won't do for me if I open my big, brown eyes wide, show my four teeth and grin.

No? What do you mean NO?
At some point, I'm going to have to train them to realize that it really is much simpler to just let me do as I please. If it wasn't good for me, I wouldn't WANT to do it.

On Love.......
I'm not altogether sure what this means, but it must have something to do with them hugging me and kissing me and making sure I'm dry and full. I know I feel safe and happy, so I guess it's good. I love them, too.

On Toys......
I think it's cool that I have all this great stuff to play with and when I'm done, I just leave it wherever it falls. And it magically appears in my box where it belongs the very next day. Now that's a sweet deal. Although, I do wonder why the toy fairy doesn't just leave my stuff where I put it. I like it where it is. Mommy and Daddy should really just learn to watch where they're going. If I can manage to go around the toys, so can they.

On Colors......
I see so many things now that I'm outside. When I was inside, all I saw was dark. Now I can see all these different colors not just on things, but on people. Of course, it doesn't matter much. I don't have a favorite crayon or a favorite color of face. I just like faces that are kind and smile a lot.

On Growing Up......
I AM a big boy and I can do it myself! Man, I want to be big so bad so I can reach all the things they try to put up high. I'll be able to dig in the garbage if I want to, play in the toilet when I feel like it, and put my feet in the sink while I wash my hands. And why precisely can't I bash toys into the coffee table?

On Taking Naps......
Naps?! I don't need no stinking naps! When I'm big, I won't EVER want to just be able to sleep whenever and wherever I choose. In fact, the big people I know sleep too much. If I can get up at 4AM, they should be able to.

On The Sky......
Why is everybody in such a hurry? I think the sky is pretty and it has birds in it. Sometimes airplanes and helicopters. But the big people never seem to look up. Maybe it's just because they're tall. They're closer to the sky than I am. When I'm big, I'm going to look up.



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I reserve the right to add to or subtract from these thoughts as I continue to observe him and his interactions with the world. I am realizing that this is the point in his life when I'll know the most about what he thinks and feels because he shows everything. He feels out loud and laughs that way, too. He doesn't know how to be embarrassed or to keep a secret. He just likes being alive. I hope he'll always feel that way.