No Matter What

Josh is reading Lola a story called "No Matter What." It's about a little fox named "Small" who feels "grim and grumpy" and tells "Large" (the fox parent) that Large doesn't love him. Large repeats, "I'll always love you, no matter what," through a series of metamorphoses in which Small imagines turning into a crocodile, a bug, and other unlovable creatures. I love this book, but I have to admit that its grown-up alter ego would have to be titled, "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is." (Or, in more teen-friendly lingo, "Actions Speak Louder Than Words.") This book is particularly effective for me due to my alligator phobia. If I haven't admitted to it before, I have to say that my phobia is justified because both sets of in-laws live within striking distance of the Gulf Coast. Anyway, Lola enjoys "No Matter What," and she has embarked upon a reading marathon (with parents in tow) because she wounded her knee on the playground today. When Lola scratches her knee, she insists on being carried from place to place, and will limp pathetically if she is placed on her feet. Funny as this may seem, I remember that scrapes could be agonizing when I was a little older than Lola. We haven't yet learned to soldier through it at that age. I'm glad, though, that I've had the opportunity to raise my child in circumstances that make pain a rare phenomenon. I wish more children had this opportunity.--K