Moments-7

They like to play this game called friends. The Boy and the Girl take turns pretending that they are a guest in our house. The “friend” will go out side on the patio and mount the bouncy horse or bike. This is a critical part of the game for they must journey from their own house to their friends house which, remarkably, looks just the same as their own. Then they will knock on the door and the child playing host will invite them in.

In unnaturally loud and blustering tones they will act out, often for hours, this strange fantasy that they are entertaining a guest rather than playing with a sibling.

“Hello friend.”

“Hello, can I come to your house?”

“Yes, I was just playing with play dough. Would you like to join me?”

“Okay.”

“Mommy, is it okay if my friend stays for lunch?”

“Sure.”

“What are we having?”

“Soup.”

Turning back to the “Guest” the host will ask, “My mom is making soup for lunch. Would you like to stay for lunch?”

“Okay, but first I had better go home and ask my mom.”

“I’ll come with you.”

Back out to the patio they go, and mounting the horse together, they ride off to get permission from the other mother who, remarkably, looks exactly like me. She’s even making the same thing for lunch.

“Um, mommy? Can, can, may I go to my friends house for lunch?”

“Well, okay. But make sure that you behave.”

“Okay. My mom said that I can come to your house for lunch but I should probably be home for dinner.”

“Okay, lets go!”

And back onto the horse they go again, riding and riding, until they get back in time for soup.