There are a lot of little girls in our neighborhood, though not one of them is younger than 7. Because they choose to play in and around our place, Mackenzie is quite often their tag along playmate.
I like to watch their interactions with the interest of a social scientist. A lot of these girls are interested in boys, pop music, and the latest Disney created Diva. Mackenzie is interested in acting like a giraffe, playing horse doctor, or collecting weeds (“flowers”).
I was recently approached by a very frustrated 9 year old who wanted to file a complaint against Mackenzie.
“Is that redhead over there your daughter?” she points at Mackenzie who was galloping under a tree on all fours.
“Yes. Yes, she is,” I respond with my eyes on my little girl.
“Well, she is not playing very nice and I would appreciate it if you would ask her to stop,” she punctuates her request with a roll of the eyes and a nasal snort.
“What is she doing exactly?” I certainly don’t think Mackenzie is an angel, but I can’t imagine what she has done to require parental intervention.
“Well, we are trying to play like we are teenagers at the prom and she wants to be the cat who goes to the prom. Cats do not go to the prom and we told her that, but she won’t stop meowing.”
I look back at Mackenzie who has abandoned her cat character to sniff a rock like a dog.
“And now, look,” she continues as Mackenzie starts to bark at the rock, “now she is barking like a dog.”
I know I have been more proud of Mackenzie before, but right then I couldn’t say when.
“Listen, Lola,” I respond, choosing my words carefully, “Mackenzie is in her own yard and if she wants to act like a dog, she is perfectly within her rights to do so. She has the rest of her life to act like a grown-up, but only this small window of time to act like a dog, a cat, a horse, or what ever other animal she can think up.”
With a flip of her pony tail, Lola waltzes off, and I can’t help but release a tiny bark under my breath.
I can’t belive 7 year olds even know what prom IS! This is my biggest worry when it comes to Caroline interacting with older kids… that they’ll make her feel like she’s not “cool” because of her wonderful imagination. I think you handled that situation marvelously!!!
Why, thank you. I think that Mackenzie holds her own quite well with the older kids. When they start getting above her head, she tends to shrug it off and do her own thing.
Sometimes it hurts her feeling when they shun her, but I think she rebounds pretty quick. She’s a rock star and she knows it.
Cool…I love it when Emily acts a cat, too.
I’m just happy that Kenzie feels so free to follow her bliss. Frankly, I sometimes find the cat annoying, but you know how I feel about cats.
I think mackenzie’s got it goin’ on. Little girls acting like teenagers make me shudder.
way to go mackenzie! And way to go you. I hope she continues acting like a dog or a cat for a long, long time. and geez the prom! whatever. I NEVER pretended like I was going to the prom. I barely even went to the prom. But then I am a confirmed nonconformist as we all know.
I agree, Deleise. I think I lectured the girl mostly because little girls acting like teenagers is a pet peeve of mine.
Sarah is a nonconformist!? What? Where’s my inhaler?! Why don’t I have an inhaler? I. Need. My. Inahler!
Amy, my girls ask for their milk in bowls so they can drink it like cats. They have even eaten their lunches like dogs before…face first in their plates. I hope they don’t loose that anytime soon. What is a little mess when they are pretending, being creative, and exploring their world without hurting themselves or others.