Life snippet

[drwex]

Pygment and I are finishing up our shared shower-and-planning this morning. We're having a conversation as I step out of the bathroom.

K: "Daddy could you whisper? We're playing a game and pretending it's night time."
Me: "How about you pretend I'm not in your game?"
K *thinks*: "OK!"

Pygment avoided laughing out loud, for which she deserves credit. After finishing up I went and whispered to the kids about my needing to get dressed, which they approved. It's all about validating the kids' frame of reference.

Comments

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

Nested Reference Frames

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

Kudos to you, and all that.

But the problem with trying to validate the kids' frame of reference is that such frames can get pretty complicated, complex, and even nested.

Once, when my elder was still a toddler, she came sashaying into our bedroom making "Ooooo, Ooooo" noises. When she got closer, she said "Pretend I'm wearing a sheet".

Not "Pretend I'm a ghost"; "Pretend I'm wearing a sheet".

How far down the fantasy was I supposed to go?

Re: Nested Reference Frames

[drwex]

Up to you. I agree the frames get pretty convoluted but still it's mostly harmless. Mostly.

[ciani.livejournal.com]

aw that makes me *squish*

[rintrahroars.livejournal.com]

Yay you for parenting with imagination! Today my younger (3) was RUNNING around our house with a dark blue (note: not transparent) blanket over her head, also going "Ooooo Ooooo!" When she fell, I reminded her that she needed to see where she was going if she wanted to be a ghost. Her response, "But Mommy, I'm pretending I can't see!"

Hard to correct such imaginative play!

[drwex]

We take a pretty firm line against imaginative play that can lead to injury or damage, particularly given our kids' histories with ERs. But yes, pretending one cannot see is fine when, say, sitting in bed.

Redirect! Redirect!

[rintrahroars.livejournal.com]

Yes, redirect!
Me: "Would you like to pretend not to see this homemade cookie?" *waves cookie in air*

3 year old: "Cookie! COOKIE!"