“OK buddy, it’s time to turn out the lights and go to sleep.”
My son was settled in his floor bed (a.k.a. the bed he made on the floor NEXT to his bed because, why sleep on a soft mattress?) and he knew full well that it was bedtime. We had put on pajamas, brushed teeth, read stories, and said prayers, but with a book in his arms he replied, “Mama, I’m just going to read for a little bit. Because reading is sooooooo good for me! I don’t even need the room light on!”
And he didn’t — because next to his book, he had one of our mini camping lanterns poised and ready for bedtime reading. Mic drop. My quizzical look at his potential in-the-dark reading quickly turned to a smirk at his creativity. OK, sassy little fella, you win!
And that’s the word that describes him best: at 4 years old, he is 100% sassy. He’s not a baby, he’s not a big kid, but he’s fully transitioning between the two stages and all about that sass. In speech. In mannerisms. In personality.
“Sassy” is defined as “lively, bold, and full of spirit; cheeky” and that is my 4-year-old exactly. Do you have one, too? Have you experienced the comical preschool sass? It seems to run rampant at this age.
For example, earlier this week I shuffled my son and his brothers (who are 7 and 2) out the back door to play outside. Not 10 seconds later he was back inside reaching for a bowl and heading towards the pantry. “Scoot!” I said, “Outside time!”
He paused, looked up at me with a twinkle in his eye and with all the sass he could muster replied, “Chill, mom! I’m just getting a snack for my brother!”
Excuse me?!
My favorite part is the cover-up, “A snack for my brother” — like an act of kindness was going to circumvent the directions I had given seconds earlier. Only a sassy little one who thinks their mom needs to “chill” could pull that kind of response out of left field!
I love this little boy with teenager spirit with all my heart. At 4, he has truly come into his own. He knows what he likes, voices his opinion loud and proud, and confidently claims his intentions all day long.
Four-year-olds are bold spitfires who keep you on your toes. With a mix of occasional frustration and intermittent fear, I wake daily ready for laughs thanks to this little man. He’s constantly dishing out cheeky comments that leave me working to keep a straight face and parent with some sense of responsibility.
After all, I’m the mom and it’s my job to temper the audacity while fueling the fire of his burgeoning personality. It’s a fine line, encouraging the sweet and silly while reprimanding the disrespectful. But I know his next level sassiness could both get him in trouble and pave the way for great success. So together, we’re embracing it and all the joys, laughter, and sometimes redirection of the fourth year.
Stay sassy, my little one, Mama sure loves the life you bring to our family!
