terrypetersen

It’s the little things you do that make the big things happen. (Mike Dooley)

Multitask pretending—it’s a skill reserved for people with young chi. At least four-year-old Rebe (Rebecca) lets me know when she’s changing roles. Sometimes I ask leading questions for their humorous value.

“I’m your baby-sitter, teacher, sister, and mommy,” she says totally unaware of any problem with combining those possibilities.

“Okay, so what are you now?”

“I’m your mommy and I’m going to have a baby. Today.”

“How old are you, Mommy?”

“Sixteen. Or is that thirteen?”

Somehow I manage not to laugh out loud.

I expect to see her stuff a plush animal under her shirt, but it doesn’t happen. Instead she shifts into the teacher position and scribbles on a green chalk board. Mommy appears minutes later with my new sister, a white bunny with a pink shirt. She also carries an old worn toy snowman, carrot nose lost a long time ago.

“This is your brother, too,” she says. “He doesn’t have a mommy or daddy. So he is going to live with us.” Her tone is matter of fact. She hands me the snowman. No instruction. Love comes naturally to our preschooler, and she expects the same of me. I won’t let her down. Strange that she knows to choose the poorest looking creature in the toy section. And yet, she doesn’t hesitate to give.

Sometimes little folk aren’t pretending; they really are teachers.