Do we always let our kids act their age?

Three of our four kids are living on their own so meal times are much quieter than they used to be.  Very often it’s just the two of us at the table.  Last night there was seven at the table; our daughter Claire, her boyfriend Sam, my step-son Roger and his son Owen, our son Marc and my husband Serge and myself.  It was a lot of fun. 

 Owen is six and acts like a six year old although  his vocabulary is so advanced  he often comes out with things that would suggest he’s much older.  He comes for sleep-overs regularly so is very comfortable at our house.  We love that.  Yesterday, he was heavily into make believe play and had a lot of energy to burn.  In short, he was acting his age.  As long as he’s not in any danger or preventing anyone from eating or enjoying themselves, we’re fine with his play.  Childhood is so very brief.

My husband Serge commented that when he was a child and they had company, his mother made sure all the kids were behaving themselves which meant sitting quietly and not getting in anyone’s way.  He said it was to keep his grandmother happy.  She would not approve of any kind of “misbehavior”.  Serge recognizes expecting a young child to sit still and not be playful is unrealistic.  He remembers the lectures before guests arrived.  What he describes was not unusual for the 1960′s which is when we grew up.  It was the “children are to be seen and not heard” generation. 

In my  opinion we have to let two year olds be two year olds and six year olds be six year olds.  Play is what they do and they have alot of energy.  These years fly by and it’s the only time we can really let go and let our imaginations go wild.  It’s a time to be silly.  Most of our lives we have to sit still and engage in polite conversation when we’re at a gathering.  Children need to be allowed to be children.  Soon enough  it won’t be appropriate to stride through a room pretending you’re a super hero or go on a treasure hunt or pretend to be fishing in the living room.