Tom

living out life
2007-10-10 04:25:50 (UTC)

Grunting

My fifteen-year-old son has a language of his own. We call it “grunting”. I’m not quite sure when we passed from conversations to guttural noises. However, my wife and I have learned how to understand him. For example, the grunts for yes and no sound close to the same, but the trained ear can pick out the subtle difference. A double grunt combined with a slight shoulder shrug means, “I don’t
know” and the triple combination of sigh, eye roll and snort translates into, “This is so stupid” (well, that one actually has a couple of meanings, but we’ll go with that one).

I have often wondered if I am really getting through to him. Sometimes I can be strict and I know he doesn’t get to do a lot of things that he would like to do. I don't want to be an ogre, but I do try to steer him in the right direction.

This morning when I got up for work I got an answer to that question. I found a note above the stove addressed to me. It was a note from my son thanking me for helping him with his homework and telling me that he loves me. I have to say it was very much unexpected, but it made my day and I'm glad that he took the time to write it. I hope he knows that it really meant a lot to me.

Maybe when he gets home from school I’ll walk up and give him the single grunt, head nod, punch in the arm that means, “I love you too”.




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