Question

“Mommy, I’m a funny bird,” Jack, my almost-4-year-old tells me. He moves his little fingers like wings.

“You are?” I say. I’m sitting across from him while he eats breakfast at our table. I smile; he says the greatest things. A week ago, however, when he had chocolate on his face and I licked (舔) my finger to wipe it off, he said, “Don’t put your dirty water on me.”

A week ago, I wouldn’t have been sitting here with him during breakfast. I wouldn’t have been up, emptying the dishwasher, cleaning the kitchen, or answering emails. We always had dinner together at the table, but other meals got much less attention. I work from home, and my husband owns an advertising agency and often travels. We were so busy that we had to do the chores during breakfast or lunch.

Why was I not sitting down with my son? It could take Jack an hour to eat a meal, during which I could feel the tug (猛拉) of unanswered emails, a deadline, and the unswept floor each minute.

Then we went to visit friends for a weekend. They have two kids. They are busy, professional, and good parents. And at every meal -- not just dinner -- we all sat down at the table and ate. When we got home, my husband said, “Maybe we should be doing that.”

I took this as criticism. My husband works a lot, so mealtimes are mostly under my charge. The “we” he was talking about was me.

Then, I remembered myself that I’m a big girl, and took his comment the way it was meant. We both want what’s best for Jack. Yes, I thought. I’m home. I have to eat, too. My husband is Jack’s favorite, which delights and moves me, but I am Jack’s constant. Constants are there. Constants sit down.

So I’ve been sitting. And, surprise, I haven’t missed a deadline. The house has been clean. And Jack seems to like having me there. Two days ago, over lunch, he smiled and stared at me.

“What?” I asked, amused.

“Mommy, I love you so much and I can’t stop loving you.”

I could have missed that.

God, I could have missed that.

1. Before visiting the friends, Jack _________.

A. didn’t like chocolate

B. couldn’t eat by himself

C. was sometimes rude to his mom

D. preferred his mother to his father

2.After visiting the friends, the author _________.

A. was determined to learn to cook

B. asked her husband to have every meal with her

C. decided to have dinner together with her family

D. was advised by her husband to learn from the friends

3.What does the underlined word “that” in the last paragraph refer to?

A. The best time to visit friends.

B. Jack saying sweet words to his mom.

C. A deadline for answering emails.

D. Jack having lunch with his mom.

Answer 1