The Hardest Part

of being a mom for me is that these beings are independent people and sometimes I just don't get them.
The Future Engineer is a 7 year old genius. Okay, maybe not technically, but I don't think there is anyone who knows him who wouldn't say that this kid is beyond his years in the way his brain works. He has been described by his teachers as a deep thinker. His teacher last year said that she always saved his answers to any thoughtful questions for last because she knew whatever he had to say would just be light years beyond the other children. He is interesting and funny and a character, but the flip side of this is that he is obsessive and very much a perfectionist. Yesterday he didn't want to go to school because he had a test and was worried he would miss one. This is a 70 problem test that he takes every week and he always gets 100 but he was worried...To the point that we ended up leaving in a very bad mood because getting him dressed was a major struggle. He cries easily and gets angry easily. I love him very much, but dealing with him lately has been so hard because I don't "get" him. But last night? He wanted to take a bath in the new big tub with the jets. So we filled up the tub and turned it on and left him to it. And I heard him laughing and giggling and making up stories and I peeked in at him and he was being such a little boy...And my heart melted...And I realized that, as annoying as some of his behaviors are to me? Living with his own expectations at 7 years old must be really difficult for him and I need to be gentle with that little soul. He is just a little boy and I love him so.