Have you ever noticed how much your kids reflect truth in the way they play with their toys?
Like I overheard Natalie playing with her dolls the other day, and she declared that Claudine Scarlet (don’t you love Cabbage Patch Kid names?) had a bladder infection. Sigh. Obviously a recurring theme in her life.
When they play games together, Grant is the Boss-of-all-things-living and barks out instructions the whole time. Occasionally, I hear him saying things like, “If you don’t come over here right now, then you can’t play anymore and you have to go to your room!” Gee, I wonder where he gets that from ? . . .
My boys have never been into action figures like the way I figured most boys would be, but they use their Webkinz as a substitute. They chase each other around and attack one another and repeat over and over their cool ninja-Webkinz moves in slow-motion instant replay. It’s pretty funny. Sometimes I hear conversations like this: “I killed Comet, Clark!” “Yeah, but he resurrected, so he can never die again.” At least they pay attention a little at scripture time.
This morning, I heard Natalie “reading” a book– one of her favorite activities. She’s only three and doesn’t really read, but looks at the pictures and makes up her own detailed plot page by page. Today I heard her creating the conversation between a mommy and her child in the book: “It’s YOUR mess, so YOU have to clean it up.” Right on, storybook mom, right on!
What kind of truths, embarrassing or otherwise, have you seen reflected in your child’s play?
AmberWaves
March 5, 2010 at 10:10 am
My 4 year old and 3 year old role-play a lot. More often than not, my daughter ends up being the mother and my son is, well, the son. So when I hear, “Mommy, I need you,” he is usually referring to his make-believe mother, Taesya.
I really don’t know what to think of that. Should I be worried or pleased that he is constantly replacing me with his other mother?
Maybe it’s not good or bad. It is what it is. But you’re so spot on; kids’ play is so true to life.
AmberWaves
March 5, 2010 at 10:11 am
P.S. Never heard of Webkinz.
Vern
March 5, 2010 at 11:00 am
I miss this kind of stuff – my kids have outgrown a lot of it!
Melanie J
March 5, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Hearing my son (at age 4) repeat “D**n it” with the exact same inflection I used pretty much cured me of swearing.
TheQueen@TerrorsInTiaras
March 5, 2010 at 3:05 pm
“You need a time out. March. Right now!” Sigh. Heard it one too many times years ago. (I guess they did, too.) They are done with that kind of play, which is sad-ish.
I can’t tell you how many times I went running when I heard a “Mommy” cry from the other room, and the girls would say, “Not YOU, Mommy, the elephant (or dollhouse, or chicken nugget, or toothpick, or any other household object used for make-believe play–anything was a “family”) mommy. We’re playing.”
MommyJ
March 5, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Once when Lucy was three, she was pretending to read the Book of Mormon, and she said, “And it came to pass, that me and my children, went through the drive thru, and got chicken nuggets.”
AmberWaves
March 6, 2010 at 5:37 pm
That is hilarious!
Charlotte
March 5, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Especially with my oldest they would start saying the oddest things and I would wonder where it came from. Until I heard it come out of my mouth. Learned a lot about my manner of speaking from listening to them.
And on that point I will not share my children’s make believe because it may incriminate me.
Jeanette
March 5, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Let’s see. My son will often say things like “You listen to me and do as I say” to his little sister. Hmmm… And just today my daughter was playing with her doll house and toys when I heard her say “You be quiet right now. Shhh! Go to sleep now. I said now!”
Lisa
March 5, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Hey- I left you an award on my blog.
Becky
March 5, 2010 at 11:45 pm
My kids have picked up on my tone of voice when I am frustrated. Now when they get frustrated they act just like me–and I am so embarrassed about my actions! I am trying to improve, but I do not see them improving much–hopefully that is not an accurate reflection of my progress.
Serene
March 6, 2010 at 1:47 am
I will often hear my daughter tell her brother that they “have to get married in the temple first”.
Next thing I know she laying on the couch delivering 15 babies. And she has no idea what happens in between! LOL!
P.S. Thanks for your wonderful comments on my MMB post the other day!! I really appreciated it.
Jessica G.
March 8, 2010 at 12:39 am
(Still giggling over MommyJ’s comment…)
I’ve heard my 6 year old getting frustrated with her 4 year old brother. And then she starts to count, sounding just a little too much like me when I’m feeling the same way…oops!
Lara
March 8, 2010 at 9:47 am
Listening to them put their Barbies in time out is definitely an eye opener. I mean I’m glad they don’t spank them, but sometimes the tone of voice is a little too much.
I’m working on it.
Christine
March 8, 2010 at 12:41 pm
My 3-year-old, Grace, parades all of her plastic zoo animals through her doll house bathroom, sitting each one on the toilet and saying in a reassuring voice: “Go pee, Giraffe. Careful, don’t fall in! Yay – you get M&M’s!” She herself will not go near the toilet, however.
I always laugh when my boys play fight – they divide up into Nephites and Lamanites and threaten to “slay” each other. Thank you, family scripture study.
Kimberly
March 8, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Today I overheard Emma telling Becca, “Don’t you even THINK about colouring on my paper!”
And a few years ago Emma was playing with some dolls and the mommy doll said, “I’m too tired to play with you.” Yeah. That was shortly before I went to see a doctor about my depression finally…
Laurie
March 9, 2010 at 10:21 pm
I SO hear you on the Boss-of-all-things-living!! My oldest is like that. I have to keep reminding her that being the oldest doesn’t mean she’s the boss!
My favorite thing is that we have “Primary” at our house at least once a week! They sings songs and tell stories… I love it!