I'm going away! Now follow me!

A child-development book I like says, "The eight-year-old child is an exuberant, outgoing bundle of energy; he meets every challenge head-on, willing to try almost anything. Sometimes parents are amazed at the enthusiasm and excitement with which their child greets the world." I certainly am. Jordan is highly competent and he knows it. He can tidy up a room, learn a piano piece, charm a toddler, walk himself to school, make friends with a dog and its owner, and save up for a big purchase. He can navigate a shopping cart through a crowded grocery store with excellent etiquette. He can suggest strategies for me to deal with a challenge at work (and they're good ideas, too). He runs out ahead of us on the street so that he can lead the way.

At the same time, he is very connected to all of us, especially Aaron; so any new thing he does, he wants Aaron to do it too, or at least be right there to appreciate how well he does it. This leads to a funny dynamic in which Jordan first declares that he will now be doing this new activity By Himself, not the old thing he used to do with Aaron; but very shortly he is inviting Aaron to do it with him. I think this is both because he wants Aaron to admire what he's doing, and also because he genuinely loves Aaron's company.

For example, a few weeks ago I decided that Jordan should try out taking a shower. He and Aaron had always taken baths together, and I was usually there for the washing, but Jordan is getting to be such a big kid that I suddenly looked at him and thought, "Time for this kid to be washing himself," and introduced the shower concept. He loved it. He was thrilled. He declared he was taking showers from now on, maybe every day. He consistently opted out of baths with Aaron. I briefly mourned the passing of the little-kid bathtime scene (which was getting a little crowded, anyway). And then tonight, Jordan extolled the virtues of the shower to Aaron: "You should try it! You can try it right now with me! It feels so great!" And Aaron tried it, and loved it, and they bonded over how much they both enjoy showers now.