Yesterday I had a delightful 'play date' with my six-year-old niece Samantha--at her request. We'd dropped by her house last week to deliver birthday presents and souvenirs from our trip to the UK, and after showing me her latest ballet moves, she snuggled up next to me on the couch and said, "Aunt Laura, do you have time off?"
"Time off?"
"Yes, so I can come spend the day with you and we can play together."
Although I'm not on deadline at present, I'm pretty swamped getting our house ready for my mom to move in with us soon, and have tons to do--painting, packing, preparing for a garage sale, yada, yada--but how could I refuse that sweet request?
So her parents dropped Samantha off yesterday and I introduced her to English tea, letting her pick out the china teacup she wanted--she chose pink with roses--(this is the child who upon seeing her newly painted bedroom for the first time, clapped her hands delightedly and said "It's so pink-a-ful!") and it was the first time she'd had tea with milk and sugar. She was too adorable, making sure she wiped her mouth with her napkin--"like a lady"--and being very careful with her teacup, using both hands so she wouldn't drop it or spill anything.
Afterwards, I also introduced her to her first Shirley Temple ("Curly Top") but we fast forwarded through the boring bits (any time Shirley wasn't singing or dancing.) Then we played Candyland, Concentration, and she introduced me to "Go Fish!"
We had a blast and it was a fun (albeit exhausting--how do you moms do this on a regular basis? :) respite from all the other responsibilities on my plate right now. Samantha's decided we need to do this on a regular basis, and I agree. (I think she'd love once a week, but I'm thinking more like once a month. Or maybe quarter.) It's a nice break from the adult world and so refreshing to see things through a child's eyes. That whole wonder and joy thing.
Maybe once a month will work after all.
-Laura
Laura Jensen Walker is the author of the recently released Reconstructing Natalie (Women of Faith Novel of the Year) and Dreaming in Black & White and Dreaming in Technicolor.
That's what's nice abotu being a grandma. You can have them for a while then send them home. :o)
I introduced my granddaughter to high tea at a local tea room when she was 9. I invited along 3 of her little friends. It was great. They got to put on hats and pretend to be great ladies. They had a blast.
Sigh. She's 12 now, nearly 13, and too "cool" to wear funny hats and go to tea.
Posted by: Ane Mulligan | August 03, 2006 at 07:21 PM
That's adorable! How fun to be the cool aunt. The only other kid in our family is our nephew Simon, who's three, and while he's not that excited about me, he LOVES my husband. I can see him asking Dan if he has some time off so they could play Legos all day. :) (Sadly, they live in Las Vegas, so we don't get to see them often--but the minute we walk in their door, Simon grabs Dan's hand and says, "Come on, Dayo, come wiff me!" and they're off for Simon's room. Too cute!)
-Alison
blog.alisonstrobel.com
Posted by: Alison Strobel Morrow | August 04, 2006 at 06:03 PM