He Knows Exactly What He is Doing

We spend a lot of time wondering what is actually happening inside our kids’ heads. We ask questions, interrogate siblings, poll other parents, and still walk away guessing. Add a child with limited speech and the guessing turns into a full blown game of Clue.

Noah has been going to church almost every week since birth. At fifteen, it is clear he knows the routine. He sings when everyone sings. He sits when everyone sits. Mostly. Still, I wonder how much he truly understands and remembers.

Last night, while his sisters were off doing their own thing, I was tucking Noah into bed. We usually say prayers together as a family, but that was not happening, so I asked if he wanted to say the Our Father.

Without hesitation, Noah launched into a full on chant slash song of the Our Father. Every word. No pauses. No blank stare. No sudden fascination with his hair or clothing. I barely held it together.

If I had asked him to say it, he would have said part of it, stared at me like I was speaking another language, and then pretended to forget the rest. Instead, he reminded me once again that he knows exactly what he is doing.

He just really enjoys playing the “I have no idea what you are saying” game.

Who else has experienced this with their kids? What have you done to encourage them without giving in to the games?

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