One of Those Little Differences

When moving to a foreign place, you tend to first notice the differences. When adapting and integrating to that foreign place, you might even embrace those differences as your own.

One of many differences is what's acceptable for a child to do out in public. We don't remember back in New Hampshire ever seeing a parent help their child relieve themselves in the grass. However, in Prague, this is totally acceptable. At the playground, on the street corner, near the bus stop, wherever there's a child with a need to go, there's a parent helping down with the pants and ...there you go. With little boys, it's pretty straightforward, pardon the pun. With little girls, the parent cradles arms under shoulders and knees. Usually over grass or grate, it's not a shining moment, but yes, totally common and acceptable.

"When in Rome, ..."
How have we adapted? We started the same practice only a couple months ago. In fact, Maylia tells Jeff that since he's been away, Ella has really embraced that difference as her own. Unlike other toddlers that want their parents' help, li'l independent Ella just goes off and does her thing by herself.

There's a much better story to be told here, but we agreed that if we put it on the blog, to be remembered 'forever', that Ella would never, ever forgive her parents. So, give Maylia an e-mail and ask her about her recent time at the playground. Again, May's quite busy, so it may be July before she gets to reply...it's okay, the story's worth the wait.
-Jeff