2000.05.19
My brother Charles is just a year younger than I am, but our personalities are rather
different. In a group, Charles tends to occupy the center of attention, whereas
I tend to be more quiet. Growing up together, we usually got along relatively
well. But as young children, there was occasionally some friction due to the
difference in our personalities; at the same time I was trying to withdraw into my
own personal space, his presence would require my attention.
As a father, I now know that no one demands more attention than your own four-year-old.
When we have problems with Christopher acting up,
it is usually because he's making a grab for attention. For whatever reason, a
four-year-old would rather have his parents yell at him than ignore him.
Talking to Cindy last
night, I confessed to some recent slip-ups that were triggered, I had assumed, by a
resurfacing of old childhood frustrations:
"You know, several times in the past few months, when I've been fussing at Christopher,
I've called him Charles."
"No, really? I called him Charles this week."
"You're kidding. Were you aggravated with him?"
"Oh yeah."
"Wow. That's really weird."
