Oh, to be a kid again
After we did school this morning I took the kids to a nice park about 15 minutes from here. It was unseasonably warm and I wanted to take advantage of it. As soon as the kids were all out of the minivan, David and Sofia began running down the path toward the playground. A young boy, just David's age began running down the path as well and the three of them spent the next hour or so playing merrily together, climbing, jumping and exploring all over the park. There were very few people there so it was easy to keep an eye on them. As I listened to tidbits of their conversations as they passed by, I couldn't help think how nice it must be to be able to become so friendly with someone so quickly. I'm sure I must have had that ability as a child, but then I don't remember. They spoke so freely, not in the last bit self consciously.
David: "I'm five! How old are you?"
Boy: "I'm four. Uh, I'm five!"
David: "Oh, cool. I'm five, too!"
Sofia: "I'm three. I'm a cat. MEOW!!"
Boy: "Let's be Power Rangers!"
David: "Yeah! I'll be the blue one."
Boy: "And I'll be the silver one. I'm invisible though."
David: "Yeah, I'm invisible, too."
Sofia: (still meowing) I'm a cat ranger!"
Boy: "There aren't any cat rangers."
Sofia: "I'm the pet."
Boy: "Oh. Come on! There's dinosaurs coming!"
All three: "AAAAAIIIIYYYYY!" as they run away.
I'm trying to imagine how the adult equivalent of this conversation might go like.
Mom#1: "Hi! I'm thirty-four. How old are you?"
Mom#2: "I'm twenty-nine." (long pause) " Whoops! I mean I'm thirty-five."
Mom#3: "I'm a lot younger than both of you and really cute, too." meow.
Mom#1: "I know, let's be the women from 'The View'! I'll be the vicious one!"
Mom#2: "I'll be the passive aggressive one! I've had way too much coffee."
Mom#1: "Oh yeah, me too."
Mom#3: "I'll be the really bitchy one!"
Moms#1 & 2: "Which one is that?"
Mom#1: "Oh, guess what? George Clooney is our guest today!!"
All three: "AAAAAAIIIIYYYYYY!"
Hmmm. I guess you can't really ever revisit your childhood. And if you couldn't tell, I never actually watch "The View". But just like my kids, I have a pretty good imagination.
David: "I'm five! How old are you?"
Boy: "I'm four. Uh, I'm five!"
David: "Oh, cool. I'm five, too!"
Sofia: "I'm three. I'm a cat. MEOW!!"
Boy: "Let's be Power Rangers!"
David: "Yeah! I'll be the blue one."
Boy: "And I'll be the silver one. I'm invisible though."
David: "Yeah, I'm invisible, too."
Sofia: (still meowing) I'm a cat ranger!"
Boy: "There aren't any cat rangers."
Sofia: "I'm the pet."
Boy: "Oh. Come on! There's dinosaurs coming!"
All three: "AAAAAIIIIYYYYY!" as they run away.
I'm trying to imagine how the adult equivalent of this conversation might go like.
Mom#1: "Hi! I'm thirty-four. How old are you?"
Mom#2: "I'm twenty-nine." (long pause) " Whoops! I mean I'm thirty-five."
Mom#3: "I'm a lot younger than both of you and really cute, too." meow.
Mom#1: "I know, let's be the women from 'The View'! I'll be the vicious one!"
Mom#2: "I'll be the passive aggressive one! I've had way too much coffee."
Mom#1: "Oh yeah, me too."
Mom#3: "I'll be the really bitchy one!"
Moms#1 & 2: "Which one is that?"
Mom#1: "Oh, guess what? George Clooney is our guest today!!"
All three: "AAAAAAIIIIYYYYYY!"
Hmmm. I guess you can't really ever revisit your childhood. And if you couldn't tell, I never actually watch "The View". But just like my kids, I have a pretty good imagination.
posted by Kristen @ 8:08 PM
7 Comments:
At 2:45 AM,
Idaho Dad said…
My son has never been able to do that. He gets it from me. We're just not forward enough. I've always felt kind of bad for him, being so shy and almost paralyzed when other kids come up to him to play. Eventually he warms up and can get along just fine with almost anyone, if they can get past that first awkward meeting.
At 10:07 AM,
Anonymous said…
Ha ha, I just have to disagree with Mom #2's FIRST statement. Those ages she states should be reversed; a normal woman would change her mind and make herself YOUNGER, not older!
At 12:50 AM,
Flea said…
Hi I'm here again with my new alias and all.
I agree, how sad is that that we loose that ability as adults, one should think we have years and years of experience behind us by now.
Are we just more picky now, class conscious or stranger danger conscious?
At 1:56 PM,
Anonymous said…
Oh my gosh, I love you. Also, I totally watch The View, but it's a secret and I'll deny it if you rat me out.
At 4:10 PM,
HLiza said…
Mine are like Phil's.My daughter is more outspoken but she's a little shy to make the first move, my son had speech delay..he hardly talk first..only answers when he's asked..but I do see them playing with new kids..guess they don't need conversations to start that!
Love this post though..how strange we change a lot as age climbs up!
At 7:33 PM,
Kristen said…
Phil-David is often like that, too. Only recently has he been less shy around other kids. If the conditions are just so he makes friends very easily. I was deathly afraid of everyone at his age. Then there is my daughter who will make conversation with absolutely anyone.
Jody- Yes, I see your point!
Java- I can't keep track with your many incarnations, but I knew it was you right away! You know, I find it much easier to strike up conversations with strangers, but that didn't really kick in until after I had kids. When I first had my son I was surprised by the number of people that would just come up and talk to me and make baby talk to him, so I had no choice but to talk back!
Melissa- Your secret is safe with me...and the five other people that read my blog!
Hliza- Yes, it always helps with David if someone else makes the first move. If a child begins talking with him first he will happily chatter away, but he kind of waits for the invitation first. I love your new picture!
At 10:28 AM,
Anonymous said…
*Snort*
Please move closer to me so we can have a playdate.
I'll be the aggressive one.
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