Rough Theory

I’ve been amused recently, watching the various things we do refracted into our son’s interactions and play. One conclusion I’ve drawn is that we’ve perhaps overdone the chorus of praise that tends to follow pretty much any action more ambitious than walking… When my son plays independently, he punctuates his own play with a steady chant of things like “well done!” and “great!” – I think he believes they’re sort of an all-purpose conjunction… And in the evenings, when I finish whatever work I’ve brought home, he has taken to wandering over, patting me on the shoulder and saying, “Good job!”