We’ve always known Kiera has an amazing imagination. Even when she was little, she would come up with crazy and funny things. As she got older, it became more and more obvious.
Last summer, as we played in the swimming pool, she would begin to direct scenarios. Let me give you an example. First, picture a round swimming pool. Nothing fancy. It’s a big circle with water inside. It doesn’t have a waterfall, secluded area, slide or anything extravagant. It has a ladder. Now, if you have that picture in your mind, let’s proceed.
In that swimming pool, we have played as trains, prince and princess, sharks, monsters, hide and seek… yes, I said hide and seek. Swimming in our pool is never as relaxing as one would think. It usually involves being a character.
Sometimes, it feels like we are in a movie and the director is a tiny, demanding 4-year-old.
“Daddy, you are the prince! Go over there!” she would yell and wave her hand to the left side of the pool. “Mommy, you are the princess. You are in jail! Go over there!” She would direct me to get behind the ladder.“Daddy, you have to come rescue the princess.”
As he would make his way, to rescue me, she would begin to dictate his next move. “Make sure you use the key. No! Not that key! This key!” Now, just so we are clear, the key that she is referring to… it’s imaginary. Are you following me? The first set of IMAGINARY keys that my Prince was going to use to rescue me was not the correct set. We are pretending! How do you mess that up?
We have had to work with Kiera on her directing. Ok, her bossiness. She is a leader. I am very proud of her for having that skill. We just have to curb it a little and remind her that her friends and family also have a say.
This weekend, while we were at her grandparents visiting, her Gigi pulled me to the side to tell me what Kiera had done.
Apparently, earlier that night Gigi was sitting in the girls’ room, going through a suitcase of clothes surrounded by the chaos that can only be created by four young girls at play.
As she sat on the bed, sorting clothes and answering random questions from the girls, Kiera came up and tapped her leg to get her attention. “Gigi.” Tap. Tap. Tap. “Gigi.” Tap. Tap.
Gigi, pausing while folding clothes said, “Yes?”
Kiera looked around thinking about what she was going to say. Gigi made the mistake of taking her attention from Kiera and focusing back on the clothing.
Switching from the taps, Kiera began to pat Gigi on the arm. “Gigi. Gigi. Gigi.”
“Yes, Kiera?” Gigi politely responded.
“Can you please get up?” asked Kiera.
“Can I get up?” said Gigi. (I am so glad that I am not the only who often repeats Kiera’s questions back to her.)
“Yes. Can you get up?” Kiera replied and continued to stare at her Gigi.
Confused, Gigi asked, “Why do I need to get up?”
Kiera, never batting an eye stated, “You are sitting on my ring.”
Gigi puzzled, glanced down to where she was sitting and said, “Honey, I don’t think I am sitting on anything.”
Determined, Kiera said, “Yes, you are. You are sitting on my ring.”
Being a nice and patient Gigi, she stood up and looked to where she had been sitting. Kiera quickly placed her hand on the sheets. Holding her empty hand out for Gigi to see, she said, “See?! You were sitting on my pretend ring!”
I’m so thankful that I am not the only one who gets caught up in distinguishing between the real world and the imagined world created by my four-year-old. Some days, it can get confusing around here.
Well, I am off to enjoy a spot of tea with the King and Queen, as long as I can avoid being captured by an evil witch or eaten by a dragon in a pink tutu. Wish me luck!
