Sunday, January 30, 2011

contrasts and realizations

Sometimes I wonder how much Galen understands about anything. In many ways he like a 7 year old in maturity, a 14 year old in understanding math, and in a body undergoing puberty and growing nearly 2” per month.

At church today we (bishop and parents) decided that he was not ready yet for the priesthood or his patriarchal blessing. In some ways it was a relief- to realize that there is a real lack of understanding and readiness for this developmental phase yet. It helped me to understand that he truly doesn’t understand many things that others his age and size do.

It was truly interesting to contrast this with Ian’s baptismal interview today. Ian gave clear and precise answers and had questions. Even though he started out rubbing his eyes and playing with his shirt he soon matched the bishop’s physical positions and actions.

Where as Galen refused to say a word and never once made eye contact. I think this is where is uphill battle is going to be in the coming months with schools and courts is to help them to understand that in that big body and active brain lays a little child- who is probably only accountable as a little child- but yet has the body and hormones of a teenager and needs that he can not voice that somehow going to school violates.

In some ways he is very much a cross between Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbes) and Mo- the third grader who shaves.

1 comment:

Round Belly said...

Ian will be getting baptized on Feb 13th- 1:30 pm.