Brave, Protective and Sensible

These are words I would use to describe my elder boy. He has exhibited these character traits while my husband is away on reservist. I will explain the reason for each attribute.

BRAVE

This morning, before I could send Joash to school, it started to pour. I was keeping the laundry at that time as Jayna and Joash were in the kitchen with me, amusing themselves.

Suddenly, a cockroach flew in and landed on my hand. As most would know, roaches are my mortal enemies and my greatest fear. I screamed, flung it onto the floor and scrambled away as far as I could. Jayna cried in shock while Joash urgently asked me, "Mummy, Mummy! Why are you scared?" I told him that I was afraid of the cockroach and he became curious and kept wanting to look at it. The moment he saw the ugly black creature, he ran away with me to the living room, leaving poor traumatized Jayna wailing in the kitchen.

"Mei mei is still there!" Joash exclaimed. My maternal instinct took over and I dashed in with the Baygon in my hand, sprayed the abomination repeatedly, grabbed my daughter and escaped back to the living room.

"Hurry, Mummy! Go into the room!" Joash urged protectively. We all went in and he closed the door behind us. "Uh-oh, mummy's shoes!" In an instant, Joash shot out his hands to "save" my crocs which were meant for home-wear.

"Mummy is scared of the cockroach?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm very scared of it. Are you scared?"

"Joash very scared...." he replied with a rueful smile.

After a while, I wanted to check if the cockroach was dead. But Joash stopped me and said I shouldn't go because I would be afraid. "Then how?" I questioned him. He bravely answered that he would go. Afterwards, he came back and told me that it was not moving anymore. The crisis was over.

PROTECTIVE

After dinner, I was playing with my two kids when Jayna suddenly hit my spectacles really hard. I whimpered in pain and told her to stop doing that. She thought that I was fooling around and found it amusing so she hit me again.

Immediately, Joash came forward, grabbed her hitting hand and said sternly, "Mei mei, you cannot hit Mummy!" Jayna screamed at him and hit him too. That was when I shouted at her to stop her barbaric behavior. Joash went to hide in a corner to nurse his hurt. I scolded Jayna and then questioned her about being sorry. She looked at her brother and said a very loud "Soorrwee". Joash actually smiled at her. I asked him if he had forgiven her, he came over and hugged the both of us.

SENSIBLE

Since I'm alone, I have to bathe Jayna and put her to bed first before doing the same for Joash. (Usually Joshua does the bedtime routine for Joash while I do it for Jayna.) I have always taught him that Jayna would cry if the lights were still switched on by the time she goes to bed and he has experienced how upset she would be first-hand once before. So I asked if he wanted to keep the toys, pack the cushions, switch off the fan and lights and close the main door together with me but he said he still wanted to play. I then told him to do all the above things before Jayna returns from her bath. He nodded his head.

Amazingly, Joash came to me with all the tasks done on his own without a second reminder. What was even more incredible is that after I put his sister to bed, I returned to the bathroom only to find Joash helping me drain Jayna's bath water! He even told me to sit down and rest while he does the work for me. I was very touched by his thoughtful intentions but knowing that it would be far to difficult for him, I said that I would do it instead.

I'm falling in love with my own son more and more each day! The Lord has indeed given him a teachable and loving heart. Praise God!