Three of the most dreaded words uttered in our house these days are "Let's play friends!"
I know what you're thinking: they sound innocuous enough, but when you are lazy parents like we are sometimes hearing the words "Let's play friends!" just sends a bit of a chill down the spine.
So the game goes like this: one of the kids (usually Jonathan; it's kind of his special game) comes up to you carrying a handful of small toys or stuffed animals. These are the "friends." Once you've been handed a "friend" (or usually two or three friends), you then spend the rest of the game (duration: unknown) talking to the other friends. It's kind of like living in the movie Avatar but without the perks of living on a magical planet, riding mystical creatures, or being able to destroy mercenaries.
Rules to consider:
1. As the adult, it is your responsibility to come up with topics of conversation. Acceptable topics include: favorite foods, names of "friends," hobbies and interests, etc.
2. At no point may you directly address the holder of the "friend." For example, if you somehow accidentally address Jonathan instead of Sky High or Dog-dog or Monkey or Crispin's Crispian, you will be swiftly rebuked--usually by having one of the friends thrust directly into your face with a stern admonition to "talk to mine friiieeeend!"
3. The game has no ending. You may need to grab a snack or use the restroom or tear out chunks of your hair, but the moment you turn around, a little boy will be standing there holding the little friends and waiting to tell you about his favorite foods. Again.
Once, Jeremy made the mistake of saying to Jonathan, "You know, Buddy, sometimes I don't want to talk to the friends. Sometimes I just want to talk to you!" To this, Jonathan responded by thrusting out his lower lip, widening his eyes, then darting away into his room to have a good cry into his pillow.
But now that I've written all of that and shown that charming picture, I know you're thinking what I'm thinking: that little face is impossible to resist. We play a lot of "friends" at our house.
7 comments:
You're right - he is irresistible! But I can see your dilemma!!
Believe it or not, there were similar games played when you were little. I have veiled memories of endless needs for my attention. It's universal. Kids have imagination and there's no one more willing to go along than the parents. Bliss.
On the commercials, the kids are off imagining in their rooms all by themselves. No, no, tis not so in real life. We are the motors for the gears of their imagination. Now I know that when I buy them a toy, it better be something I'd like to play with.
I always wonder why I don't like pretending more. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one.
I can hardly wait to watch Jonathan play friends with Rachel and Grammy. I suspect I would not be very good at this game since it requires skills that are not normally noted as my strengths: patience and imagination. But, who knows? Maybe when the big-blue eyes unleash there magical powers, I'll find abilities I didn't know I possessed.
This is hilarious, so true! But he's awfully cute standing there, I would have a hard time resisting too. So sweet!
we miss jonathan and clara...i bet nora would LOVE to play friends with him! then we could "play friends" with each other hahaha
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