The kids had played soccer games that were a bit too long, so it was lunchtime, and they all began walking home. Wilhelm promised his friends that he would come back to play with them in the afternoon. For now, it was time to see to business.
Wilhelm back for lunch. Next he's off for his homework. Homework faces Wilhelm. It bores him. Here Wilhelm yearns for childhood. A time when life was carefree. When homework was a fiction. Fun replaced homework's presence.
"Mum I want to be like Nathaniel. I don't want to do any more homework," Wilhelm complained. He pointed at his younger brother in corner of living room. Nathaniel playing contentedly by himself with his building blocks.
Inger could understand why Wilhelm felt as he did, but she also knew that growing older means taking on more and more responsibility. "Wilhelm, I know homework can be boring," she said, "but it is also a token of your growing responsibilities. The older one gets, the more responsibilities one has to face--one must learn how manage them."
Wilhelm nodded. "You're right Mom. I'll give it a go. Will put in effort on homework and make less noise about it." Inger's face lit up. Her son was really growing up.
Inger smiled with pride at her son's maturity. " That's the spirit, Wilhelm. And eventually my little one Nathaniel will be the same as you are now You'll be able to help him with his homework and teach him some responsibility."
Wilhelm acknowledged her with a smile. Then inside him a surge of pride and responsibility surged up. The day's homework was completed. Following that, he joined a game of soccer with his chums. This wasn't the first time he had done so. Yet, he felt a distinct shift in his life stage. It was as though he assumed a shade of adult life more vividly than ever before.