Miranda has been starting to compare herself to her peers, including her sister. This has led to her saying things like, “I’m only 5 and I know how to read.” Bernard and I have come down harshly on these statements, teaching her about modesty and humility. At one point, she seemed contrite, saying, “Yes, sometimes I do brag a lot.”
Last night, Bernard asked me a question, “Do you think we would be trying so hard to squelch her bragging if she were a boy?”
It was a good question. We both know people with sons where this kind of thing would be encouraged, or at the very least laughed off. I think we’re going to back off a little and see what happens. I would hate this to be the start of her “dumbing herself down” so that people like her.
That’s a tough one, as both Eleanor and Miranda are REALLY smart. Their reading ability is pretty incredible based on what I’ve seen from kids of similar age.