Patricia Polacco wrote rMy Rotten Redheaded Older Brother. It’s one of my favorites! One repeating line from Patricia’s older brother Richie is “And I’m four year’s older than you…. Always have been and always will be.” Oh, I can just hear the jab.
Children often use the saying, “Yeah, well I’m older than you” as a way of torment or as a trophy as if to imply, “I’m better than you.” My own children couldn’t wait until they were ten to be in double digits; thirteen to be a teenage; then sixteen to drive. I remember that feeling. Older seemed to be better.
Now, well, age is something I rather keep on the down low. My students want to find out. It’s like a mystery they need to solve. So, I found it rather funny the other day when one of my first grade boys tried to tease me and said, “Well, I’m older than you. I’m twenty-three!” I know my eyes twinkled, but I made a face as if to say, “Yeah you got me there.”
Twenty-three – wow. My husband was surprised to learn his bride of twenty years had regressed in age so quickly. He wanted to get in on the secret. 🙂
Book Savors 
Cute slice, MHG. 🙂 I love the connection from the book to your life. Thanks for writing,
Ruth
I don’t know about this book, so thanks for the heads up. I also appreciated the connection. Interesting how students want to know about ages, to be older must be better?
I don’t know how old I was, but I do remember thinking “Hey, wait a minute…I’ll be the oldest when we’re old!”