Kind to Others

Jack's got a lot of great qualities, but an amusing one lately is his politeness to inanimate objects. For example:

In the mornings, as we're leaving his room, he says goodbye to his Cow-shaped humidifier. "Goodbye, cow!" He waves. "Goodbye, cow!"

His trainyard is enhanced by the presence of a Hulk action figure that years ago I gave to 2-year-old Laura, my niece, and which found its way back into my possession when she was, understandably, terrified of the thing. Jack's okay with it, but he also treats it with respect. As he moves a train past him on the tracks, he says "Excuse me, Hulk." And: "Excuse me. ... Excuse me, Hulk."

He's also very respectful of injuries. If you say you have a boo-boo, he says "Want to kiss it." Then he comes over and kisses said boo-boo -- a scratch on my arm, or whatever. Of course, if he hits his head or has a boo-boo, it's the same story: "Kiss it," he says, holding out the damaged appendage or leaning forward so you can kiss his head. "Thanks!" he replies afterward. Nothing defuses concern over an injury, like when he hit his nose the other day, then him saying through tears, "Kiss it," followed by "Thanks!" Can't hurt that much.

Emily told me she picked Jack up at daycare once, and they'd told her that a child had been out sick. When he returned, Jack went over and hugged him to welcome him back. (Of course, Jack's sick as a I write this, so.....)