The little girl I've been calling my "Five-Year-Old Charge" turned six over the weekend. I'd asked her what she wanted for her birthday, and she said "lipstick, but my mother won't let me wear it, so lip gloss would be good." I gave her three lip glosses (grape, cherry and lime) plus a deck of Sponge Bob Squarepants playing cards. The latter was a sacrifice on my part, not because it was expensive (it wasn't) but because I know it means I'll have to spend more time playing cards with the now-Six-Year-Old. Card games bore me. But she loves them and is also a huge Sponge Bob fan (I must admit that I am, too) so I couldn't resist getting them for her.  She has thanked me, verbally, and promised to make a Thank You card for me.  She was surprised when I told her that I still have the Valentine card she made for me last year, taped to my refrigerator. I told her, "Of course I do. You did beautiful drawing and writing. Why would I take that down?"

Recently, she has been asking me questions about people with disabilities. I think there might be a few more of them in her school this year than there were last.  When we saw someone pulling into a handicapped parking space, she wanted to know how people with wheelchairs could drive cars. I exlpained that they used their arm muscles to lift themselves out of their wheelchairs and into car seats. The next question was, "Can they use the toilet?" I said, "Sure. Same way they get into the car..."

I'm glad to know she's thinking (and asking) about such things. When I was a child, 'though I was perfectly comfortable asking adults questions about sex, I had the sense that there was something "secret" about disabilities.  My Six-Year-Old Charge just wants to know how the world works, for people with wheelchairs, blindness and other differences. She wants it to work well! Her building has automated front doors (you can press a button to open them.) She told me, "That's for the people with wheelchairs. We shouldn't use it because it wastes the electricity. If we use it, there might not be enough electricity left for the people with wheelchairs." I don't think that's really a major worry, where those doors are concerned, but I did open the door manually, as she asked me to, because I thought it was good that she cared about it.

My mother (who has been considering starting her own OS blog; I hope she will) has been telling me that she thinks I should write a book about child-care; a modern version of a common-sense guide, such as Dr. Spock's. She was inspired to suggest it by the writing I've done here on OS, as well as on my personal journal blog, about my work with children. I'm still pondering that possibility. I think Dr. Spock's book was wonderful, and that most of his advice stands the test of time. I'm not sure, though, that I'm really a worthy successor. I'm also dubious that enough people would "buy" (in both senses of that word) the expertise of someone who is not a doctor and also not a parent. Yes, I have over 20 years' experience working with children, and an Associates degree in Early Childhood Education. But we live in a credential-mad society...

Anyway, I have enjoyed the affirmation I've received, for these kid-related posts, here on OS. Now I'm going out to vote. Both of my charges (the Six and Eight Year Old) will ask me about that tomorrow. I would not be able to hold my head up in their presence if I told them I hadn't!