Make Believe

I've seen children pretend to be soldiers, cowboy and Indians and astronauts. A few days back Ruby and I played make believe for about half an hour. Her choices were very interesting. I always let her take the lead and just follow along. Objects around the house started to fill roles: the couch became the car, her stuffed penguin a friend from dance class and play-dates, etc. I became immersed in her created world. She drove, picked the locations, and told me what to do.


The first stop was Chick-fil-a to have dinner and hit the playground. Her attention to detail is amazing. For example, she including using the strings from her pull train and Etch-a-Sketch pen for our seat belts. This is when her friend and a teddy bear came along for the ride. Watching her get the penguin, which is nearly as big as her, in and out of the "car" was a lot of fun. She is nothing if not headstrong and determined. Next we went to Yogurt Lab to meet GG. A couch cushion was our table which we, imaginary and not, sat around. Ru ran back and forth to the kitchen getting us all yogurt and told me not to eat hers while she was gone and even scolded me when I took a bite.

She drove me home so I could use the bathroom and then started on the road to see Memok without me. The penguin and teddy bear went along for the ride. She wanted to call mommy, which we did, blurring the lines of reality and play. Adding another level, Memok was actually coming to stay with us the following weekend. When olivia told Ruby, it was almost as if she was disappointed she had been driving...like she felt she needed to turn the car around.

I try to imagine whats going on inside her little head. Why does she choose these things for make believe vs other options? Why does she prefer real events vs fantasy? How are her choices and attention to detail reflective of her development and mental growth? I worry. I worry more than I should. The older she gets the more I find myself debating these things internally...maybe a little too often.