For this year’s Fourth of July, I took three of the four to New York, where we met up with Ben. Within a few minutes, the familiar patterns emerged:
• Nicholas: Developed a specific list of things he wanted, wanted to accomplish, and just plain wanted, with a variety of opinions on things he did not like/appreciate/enjoy.
• Kate: SHOPPING!!!! NOW!!!! (All caps, with minimum of four exclamation points required at the end of every sentence, unless it’s a question that starts with, “Can we go to…?”)
• Emma: Channeled her inner Eeyore and added a Dead Sea Scroll of “don’t likes,” starting with the fact that New York is busy, dirty, and, well on the rest she would just have to reserve judgment before liking the experience.
• Ben: New York is where I’d rather stay. I get allergic smelling hay. I just adore a penthouse view. Darlings I love you but give me Park Avenue.
I guess that’s why they call it parenting.
