(Almost) Three year olds do not do well with hypotheticals.
I have prayed and thought and prepared for foster care for about a year now. One of the reasons that I put off receiving placements was that I was advised that it may be hard for Lucy to understand that she's forever mine, while some of the other children we would love would be temporarily ours. I thought this was pretty wise advice.
Several things that have happened lately have made me realize that she's probably able to understand this concept at this point. So I asked her, hypothetically, of course, if she thought we should take care of a baby for a little bit while her mama "got better".
"YES!" She cried, "Let's DO that!" (Insert little happy dance). "I can help you, Mama! I'll be the sister and you can be the Mama. I can help you." (Insert arm gestures, one palm up, then the other her list gets ramblier and ramblier). "I can help you with the BOTtles and the DIapers and the LOtion and the NAPtime."
"Slow down!" I reminded her, "It's just an idea I'm thinking about. We need to pray about it."
Hours later, the doorbell rang as a friend arrived for dinner. She shot to her feet. "MAMA!!! I think our BABY is here!!"
During dinner, she casually mentioned, "I want to sleep in the big bed." (The twin bed in her room. She currently sleeps in a baby bed in the same room). "Why do you want to sleep in the big bed?" I asked, knowing how that little brain was working. "So the baby can sleep in the baby bed."
Later Nana called and Lucy wanted to talk first. She picked up the phone and announced clear as a bell, "Nana, I'm HAVING a BABY!"
Oh dear.
I have prayed and thought and prepared for foster care for about a year now. One of the reasons that I put off receiving placements was that I was advised that it may be hard for Lucy to understand that she's forever mine, while some of the other children we would love would be temporarily ours. I thought this was pretty wise advice.
Several things that have happened lately have made me realize that she's probably able to understand this concept at this point. So I asked her, hypothetically, of course, if she thought we should take care of a baby for a little bit while her mama "got better".
"YES!" She cried, "Let's DO that!" (Insert little happy dance). "I can help you, Mama! I'll be the sister and you can be the Mama. I can help you." (Insert arm gestures, one palm up, then the other her list gets ramblier and ramblier). "I can help you with the BOTtles and the DIapers and the LOtion and the NAPtime."
"Slow down!" I reminded her, "It's just an idea I'm thinking about. We need to pray about it."
Hours later, the doorbell rang as a friend arrived for dinner. She shot to her feet. "MAMA!!! I think our BABY is here!!"
During dinner, she casually mentioned, "I want to sleep in the big bed." (The twin bed in her room. She currently sleeps in a baby bed in the same room). "Why do you want to sleep in the big bed?" I asked, knowing how that little brain was working. "So the baby can sleep in the baby bed."
Later Nana called and Lucy wanted to talk first. She picked up the phone and announced clear as a bell, "Nana, I'm HAVING a BABY!"
Oh dear.
Bahaha
ReplyDeleteHa!
Love! SO sweet!
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