"Will you play with me?" she asked ever so sweetly, handing me Dolly.
So I did Dolly's voice: "I'm hungry, Josie!"
Immediately Josie grabbed a wooden plate that sits on the chest that is our coffee table (and a major play place,) heaped some coasters on it, and offered it to Dolly. "Here you go; I made you some banana pancakes." She pulled the plate back. "Wait a minute, I'll put some butter on them--in the middle and on top. Here you go."
So Dolly gobbled up the pancakes and then demanded watermelon. Josie went down to the end of the chest and came back with a handful of watermelon which she plopped onto the plate. "Here you go."
Greedy Dolly gobbled up the watermelon and demanded blueberries, which the now slightly harried Josie supplied. Then Dolly wanted broccoli.
"We're out of broccoli, Dolly."
"I WANT BROCCOLI!" shouted the very bad Dolly.
"NO, NO, Dolly," said the completely exasperated Josie. "You are being rude."
At which Dolly went face down and began to cry. Josie picked her up and kissed her. "Do you feel better now, Dolly?"
Dolly did.
I'd been thinking about those little kitchen sets they have for children to play with but we really don't have the space for one. And after playing with Josie today, I realized she doesn't need one. Her imagination supplies whatever's needed.
I couldn't take pictures, alas -- too busy being bad Dolly. But at several points Josie was doing a perfect imitation of an over-worked mother--darting from Dolly to the imaginary kitchen, trying to keep up with the never-ending demands.
We had fun.
8 comments:
Have a great day...and play, play, play!
Reminds me of a book enjoyed by my grandchildren (now grown): If You Give a Moose a Muffin.
Isn't it wonderful when their imaginations get in gear? I'm so glad you were a good substitute friend for Josie.
"Never ending demands..." that brings back past memories and suggests future ones. :-)
One fall when I was about 7 or maybe 8, I remember coming in the house and telling my mother I had nothing to do. She told me to go back outside, use my imagination and find something to do. I remember making a Thanksgiving meal using big fallen oak leaves for turkey and acorns and sticks for other items. As a former history teacher I noticed many students who struggled with the subject, in part because they were unable to use their imaginations to put themselves in the time and place and analyze from a participant's perspective. I fear for so many of today's children who are on their devices from a very early age. They may never develop imaginations. How will they ever solve a problem like the on-board emergency of Apollo 13?
Love this story - in the last three weeks my husband has gone from being a superhero with assigned abilities to a being part of a princess story all in the name of let's pretend!
Josie's patience and then her motherly instincts are so telling. This is a little girl who is being raised in a family that shows her the importance of good manners, patience and feeling compassion, not disdain for others. Great work Meemaw and clan!
Gwen's comment is so true.
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