Sleep over envy

June 11, 2009 by Barbara.

Reid is going to Aunty Amanda’s for supper tonight while Ken and I go to hear Malcolm Gladwell (author of Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers). Reid has been looking forward to this visit ever since I first mentioned it. Amanda asked me to confirm that Reid eats rice. I responded strongly in the affirmative and said that we need to encourage her to also eat meat and vegetables. My little carbohydrate lover would eat bowl after bowl of rice - white and otherwise - if permitted.

We were discussing Reid’s visit to Aunty Amanda’s last night and how Nam and Nam’s parents would also be present at supper time. Reid wanted to know the names of Nam’s parents. I was stumped. Reid calls most of the adults in her life by their first names, including her teachers. I don’t know how Nam’s parents will want to be addressed. I played it safe and said that I wasn’t sure but that she might need to call them Mr N and Mrs N (only I gave the full last name). Since Mr and Mrs are unfamiliar, I explained that some people call me Ms Dundas (not many, of course ;+) instead of Barbara and some people call Ken, “Dr Reynolds”. The latter caught her off guard, “But why do they call Daddy, ‘doctor’?” she asked. I explained about his doctorate and Reid nodded as though to say, “Oh, that was obvious, I can’t believe I forgot.” She chattered about him being a doctor and the boss of soldiers. Reid clearly thinks that Ken’s job is important. I asked if Reid she thought I had an important job. She said that she thought I did and so I asked if she knew what I did. Reid said that I “write for the government”. Bingo! I was flattered that she knew.

This morning, I reminded Reid that Aunty Amanda would pick her up this evening. Reid asked me who would take her to school tomorrow morning and I told her that it would be me because she was coming home at bedtime. Reid was not pleased. She wanted to sleep over. I said that wasn’t going to happen and Reid asked, “But can I stay overnight the next time I go there?” I don’t know what Aunty Amanda will say if Reid shows up with her sleep toy and toothbrush.

Reid is determined to stay overnight at someone’s house, especially a friend’s. I’m not so sure that I’m ready for Reid to embark on sleep overs. On the bright side, lying with Reid to put her to sleep doesn’t seem to have hindered her readiness for sleep overs.

Posted in Food, Amanda | Print | 1 Comment »