Birthday Wishes

My youngest child, my son Adam, turned 10 on Tuesday. He’s such a
sly guy; I think he invoked the “But It’s My Birthday” Rule to get me to accede to ten separate requests that I otherwise might have resisted. But a very interesting and encouraging moment arose when it came time to choose a dessert stop after dinner at Chipotle, his new favorite eatery.

For dessert, I would have expected Adam to be insistent on going to his long-time favorite, 16 Handles, with their glorious selection of flavors and toppings. Instead, he was unusually solicitous of his older sister, asking Elena more than once if she would prefer going to Pinkberry, since he knew she likes it better. “What angle is he working?” I wondered, and I think Elena wondered much the same. But Adam seemed genuine in his desire to share the joy of his birthday moment, so I didn’t question it. Nor did I put it to the test. We all—Elena included—insisted on 16 Handles, thinking that it must be his true desire.

Maybe Adam’s generosity could be attributed to Birthday Fever. Maybe birthdays are one of those areas that even siblings don’t want to muck up for each other. Elena had tried to get there herself in her birthday card inscription.

“Of all the annoying people in the world,” she wrote, “you are my favorite.”

Eric Messinger is the editor of  New York Family. He can be reached at emessinger@manhattanmedia.com.