“Aunty Vee, here, here, take the red one”, I heard JJ call me out. I had found my position on the sofa and was relaxing from the tiredness caused by the less sleep and over-eating. From my secured comfortable position on the couch we were reliving our childhood memories of the songs our aunts, uncles and parents would play and dance.
As children, we were not at all left out in the dancing and occasionally had our own dance competitions with our playmates, who were mostly our neighbours children. We found Brenda fassie, Mr. Nice, Sarafina, Koffi Olomide, Papa Wemba among many others on Spotify and on youtube and sang along to our childhood memories.
I looked at his expecting eyes and disinterestly held on to the wooden small rod that was being handed up to me, at the end of which was attached a magnet that one could use to fish the paper fish on which were also magnets attached.
Not wanting to leave my comfortable position; I asked JJ if he could bring the pond nearer to me. Without hesitation, he jumped to his feet and the paper octopus, crabs and other kinds of fish were collected and the pond pulled nearer to me.
I had again been captured by the commenting and laughter that was ongoing when I heard, “I got a fish, I got a fish!” I looked down and saw JJ holding up the wooden magnetic fishing rod on which end was attached a magnet paper octopus. JJ eyes become bigger. He was smiling from one ear to the other and radiating with happiness. Wow ! I exclaimed and added a bravo! and ” thats a big fish”. While prolonging the word big to exaggerate the size of the fish. He was almost springing up with excitement “its your turn aunty Vee!” I heard his child voice call me out.
I put my fishing rod in the pond and said “ooh no! I dint catch a fish”. He smiled mischievously and quickly put his magnetic rod in the pond which was quickly followed by “look, look, I got another fish”. The same procedure of overflowing praises followed until the pond was empty.
Interesting what a small praise or complement can do to a child, I thought to myself. Do we react equally when we get complemented? Or did we just lose it along the path of becoming adults? Do we feel like jumping up and down and doing a happy dance for having done well? For having accomplished something significant? Or have we grown so used to unsincere and the sincere praises that we are now unable to tell the difference or awaken any emotions within?
By Nessa.
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