Mirror

What a strange experience I had.

I was sitting across from Ava's preschool teacher as she told me about Ava's progress this year in her class. As she talked about Ava's strengths and a few weaknesses, it felt like she was holding up a mirror. She was describing me as a child...exactly. Ava is advanced in verbal and reading skills. Check. She is quiet, concentrates on her work, not unwilling to talk but not overly anxious either. Check. She seems to feel uncomfortable or maybe even embarrassed when called upon to do large gross motor movements during circle time with a partner or in front of the group. Check. She is a perfectionist. Check. She occasionally becomes distraught to the point of tears when she makes a mistake. Check. She is helpful and kind to others. Check.

Deja vu. Ava is a little me and I am not sure what to think about it. In some ways it feels good that I understand her so well. I will be able to empathize with her and maybe even offer helpful suggestions for dealing with issues that I dealt with, too. But then I also know exactly how she will hurt. I know the things that will be especially difficult for her. And these are things that I can't prevent. She'll be hurt in many of the same ways I was hurt growing up because our personalities are so similar. She'll have to forge her own way through the trials of perfectionism and the hatred of gym class. I just know she's going to hate gym class. I'm not going to say anything to predisposition her- don't worry. I don't have to though because I know she is going to hate it just like I did. I used to fantasize about breaking my arm in order to avoid gym class. I even went so far as to jump out of a tree in elementary school in the hopes of breaking my arm. I hated trying physical things that I usually was horrible at doing in front of the rest of the gym class. I sense she has that issue as well.

Anyway, mini-me shows that there are a lot of genetic things going on that are beyond the realm of eye color and height.