Love is in the air

Sawyer's preschool class builds lessons around themes, holidays, seasons and such.

Lately, they've been working on hearts and the color red and Valentine's Day.

It must be having an effect.

The past two times I've picked him up, he insisted on giving his teacher a hug.

And the one little girl who he's always liked has stretched her arms wide so she can hug him next. They hug and he or she kisses the other's cheek.

I have to say, it's quite adorable.

Apparently, Clare calls one of her stuffed animals Sawyer. And I've long thought Sawyer had a little crush on Clare. Though it didn't always come out as lovingly.

In the fall, there were several days that I picked him with reports that he'd bitten her. Often, the teacher had seen the whole thing go down and it was because someone took a toy from Sawyer or wouldn't let him in the playhouse outside. There was almost always a reason (not really a good one for biting, in my opinion) that he was mad or upset about something.

And it wasn't just Sawyer. There were several kids on biting streaks in the class, and he was on the receiving end a few times.

But after a few times of him biting Clare, I asked him why he bit her.

Through tears in the backseat, he said, "Because I want her to be my best friend."

The lightbulb went off for me. I shared this news with the teacher, and she and I started wondering if some of his chomping was simply to get attention.

Knock on wood, but after a hundred lectures (from the teacher and us) and one unforgettable time (and time-out) of biting his father, Sawyer seems to have gotten the message that "teeth are not for biting."

I expect Clare likes the hugs and kisses a lot better.