This morning I went to pick up a package from our Sorting Office on the way to work. I was dropped off on the way to nursery, so H knew what was going on.
After I’d picked her up this evening she asked about the package. I told her I’d got two books.
“Are they for me?” she asked
“No, they’re mine” I replied
Cue one almost-three-year-old with tears streaming down her face, heartbroken that the two books in my package – which she’d by now convinced herself were in fact ‘Topsy & Tim Meet The Firefighters’ and ‘Topsy & Tim Meet The Police’ (I know, I know, heartbreaking stuff there, right?) – were all mine.
As it was the books really were hers, and I handed them over once we were home, she fortunately forgot I’d tricked her. She also forgot that they weren’t the two Topsy & Tim books she wants (as let’s face it, when you have 20-30 Topsy & Tim books you always want the ones you don’t have, right?). So now I get the parental guilt thing and wonder whether I should just… errr… order them in for her birthday? See, I’m not actually making this any better!
At least it’s books rather than things from adverts, I guess. But still. Talk about spoilt, and I don’t help matters one bit.
Oh, and she loves ‘Foxy’ and ‘Come to School Too, Blue Kangaroo!’ thank christ.
Ha, I witnessed Lucy’s D having a meltdown about the very same thing. She ended up having to write his name in her new novel and handing it over to him before he’d stop screaming. I think there is time to introduce the idea of ‘can’t have it all’ when she’s old enough to understand the implications of how much money etc.
I had a bit of a weep at H this morning with the whole money thing – she really doesn't get that we're giving her such amazing opportunities, and you're right – she's just not old enough to understand it yet… I should get over it and just keep reminding her! In a gentle and understanding way of course…
Yeah, I think she will get it eventually. You are doing an amazing job with her. Don’t worry. The fact that what she wants most is new books is ace!