The other day, as I was in the process of dropping off my daughters at day care, the janitor motioned me over to him so that he could tell me something. Peter is an older Jamaican man who has always been incredibly sweet with my daughters, and I enjoy trading pleasantries with him each morning.
I walk over to him, and he says, in his dulcet, rhythmic Jamaican patois, "Ya know de olda one (referring to my older daughter), she never no take no gruff from nobody. She never no let no one talk bad to ha' sista. No, mon, she stand up for her righteously. It's a sweet ting ta see."
I smiled and thanked him for letting me know. I felt a surge of pride pulsating through me, knowing that my daughters were doing well together without my protection. I walked back to where the girls were standing and crouched down to speak with them.
"Mr. Peter told me that you defend your little sister," I said to the older one. "He said you don't let other people tease her."
She smiled proudly and nodded her head. "Yeah," she replied confidently. "If someone talks mean to her, I slap them and make them cry."
Okayyyyy. The slapping part is her teacher's problem, I tell my self. The defending her sister part is mine to enjoy.
"Yeah," agrees my younger daughter, "If someone punch me, then she punch them. Yesterday, Abby poke-ed me in my eyeball, and (older sister) pushed her down to the floor."
I smile and sigh. I love my girls.
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