and I’m the dad.

May 22, 2012 | 8:53am

Princess Feeds the World

Beth:	[age 3] "Let's play 'Princess Feeds the World'."
Me:	"Hmm. I've never played that before. You'll have to tell me what to do."
Beth:	"It's easy! You sit down in that chair and I'll stand over here. This --" [gestures to middle of the room] "-- is the world."
Me:	[sits] "Okay. Now what do I do?"
Beth:	"You are the Sunshine King. I am the Water Princess. So first we have fly around the world and throw seeds over the ground, like this." [tiptoes gracefully around the room, scattering imaginary seeds onto the floor]
Me:	"Can I do that?"
Beth:	"Open your hand. ... Here are some seeds." [drops imaginary seeds into my hand] "Now, plant them!"
Me:	[attempts to imitate graceful movements around the room]
Beth:	"Oh Daddy. Really. No. Not like that at all. Like THIS." [repeats what she did earlier]
Me:	"I thought that's what I was doing."
Beth:	"You were doing it wrong. Just sit down and let me do it."
	[she continues hovering around the room, scattering seed, for a minute or two]
Beth:	"Okay. Now we need to water the seeds."
Me:	"Can I do that?"
Beth:	"No, you are the Sunshine King. A Sunshine King cannot make rain. Only a Water Princess can make rain. Like this." [puts hands behind her back and flutters around the room, passing over the scattered imaginary seeds] "There. I watered the plants with rain."
Me:	"Now what?"
Beth:	"Now you shine on them."
Me:	"How do I do that?"
Beth:	"You're a Sunshine King! All Sunshine Kings know how to shine. Just do it!"
Me:	"Okay, okay. I'll try." [I get up, put my hands out, and move around the room trying to look like I'm beaming sunrays toward the imaginary seeds]
Me:	"How's that?"
Beth:	"It's not bad. Do it again. They need more."
Me:	[repeats]
Beth:	"Stop. That's enough. Now sit down and wait with me."
Me:	[sits] "How long do we have to wait?"
Beth:	"Until the plants grow."
Me:	"Okay. I'm going to talk a sunshine nap. You let me know when they're done." [leans back, closes eyes]
Beth:	[waits a minute, then grabs my arm] "Look! They're ready!"
Me:	[opens eyes] "Great! So what did we plant?"
Beth:	"We have corn and tomatoes and lettuce and carrots. Now we just have to pick everything and give it to the world to eat!"
Me:	"Is this enough for the whole world?"
Beth:	"Of course it is! As long as you don't eat too much. Now help me pick it or you don't get any."

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January 27, 2012 | 11:00am

Kamuka and the Blind Man

[Scene:	Beth, age 3, has just sat on the sofa next to me. Note that you may want to read www.andimthedad.com/tagged/kamuka for past references of kamuka.]
Beth:	"Let's go on a trip!"
Me:	"Sounds good. Where are we going?"
Beth:	"We're going to see kamuka!"
Me:	"Oh no, not 'kamuka' again. I thought kamuka was part of the golden light?"
Beth:	"Yes! But kamuka is also a man."
Me:	"He's a man?"
Beth:	"Yes! Kamuka is a man who cannot see. He wears a green shirt."
Me:	"I had no idea kamuka was a person. What does he do?"
Beth:	"He drives a truck."
Me:	"Kamuka is a blind man who drives a truck? That sounds dangerous."
Beth:	"Oh no. He drives a truck around and gives people good things."
Me:	"What kind of good things? Like, chocolate ice cream?"
Beth:	"No, he doesn't like chocolate ice cream. He delivers presents to people."
Me:	"Ahhh. He delivers presents. Kind of like Santa Clause?"
Beth:	"Not that kind of present. He delivers flowers. Pots of flowers for people to plant. And he delivers seeds. And watering cans."
Me:	"That's pretty cool. He must be busy in the spring."
Beth:	"Oh yes. And he is an animal too."
Me:	"Really? What kind of animal?"
Beth:	"I can't tell you. It's a secret."
Me:	"So let me see if I get this straight. Kamuka has something to do with the golden light, but it is also a blind man in a green shirt who drives around giving people plants. And he can turn into an animal."
Beth:	"No, he /is/ an animal."
Me:	"And a man? At the same time?"
Beth:	"Yes! And he doesn't like chocolate ice cream."
Me:	"And you want to go visit him."
Beth:	"Yes!"
Me:	"Does he live around here?"
Beth:	"No, he lives in You Nork."
Me:	"You Nork? Do you mean New York?"
Beth:	"No, I mean You Nork. It's like New York, but different."
Me:	"And that's where we'll find the blind man-animal named kamuka who wears a green shirt and drives a truck around giving plants to people?"
Beth:	"Yes!"
Me:	"Well, let's go. I want to meet this guy. Do you know how to get to You Nork?"
Beth:	"It's too late now. Maybe some other time. Would you like some tea?"

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