6 years old

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We were on a long drive and my 6 yr old son was playing with his kiddie meal toy.. it was the Sandman, a villain in Spiderman. It had a button at the back that, when pressed, would shoot its big fist from its arm. My son was playing with it earnestly, complete with sound effects and shooting the big fist out and plugging it in again. He was playing with it for about 10 minutes and I was just watching. It came to a point when he miscalculated the direction of the fist and it shot out away from him and onto the floor. Since he was strapped in a car seat with his seatbelt, he was not able to reach it.

He didn't ask me to do anything, but I calmly told him that I'm strapped in my seatbelt, too, so I will not be able to get the toy from the floor. He had a disappointed look on his face and said, "I know." And then he repeated, "I know." And then he tried to give me a little smile to reassure me that it's ok.

It was the combination of disappointment and the little smile that struck me. My son is growing up. Just a few months ago he would have whined and pouted until I pick up his toy for him. But this time he didn't. Showing a little bit of maturity... at the ripe old age of 6 years.

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