This is the question my almost-4-year-old posed to me, extremely seriously, on Saturday afternoon. And for the life of me, I just don’t know. Furthermore, when I laughed and asked her to tell me the answer, expecting some witty punchline, she informed me that I “was the silly one now,” whatever that meant.
And that just about sums up the conversations I’ve had with my kids over the last week.
Sunday:
B1 wanders into my office with her Eye Witness book about wildlife.
B1: Mummy, can I read you an interesting fact?
Me: Yes, but quickly please, I’m in the middle of something. [something being proof-reading my novel, absolutely not twatting about on Reddit or Twitter… ahem]
B1: *spouts something about tigers or giraffes being able to do something impressively disgusting with their tongues*
Me: Wow, that’s… er… cool [or something equally vague yet encouraging with the hopeful air of dismissal about it] *looks back at manuscript, mutters to self* Hmm… does [character name 1] actually kill [character name 2] or did I just vaguely imply that without going into any explanation whatsoever?
B1: Who gets killed?
Me: Oh, no one. It’s just in Mummy’s book.
B1: Someone kills someone else in your book?
Me: Um…
B1: …
Me: …
B1: I don’t think you should have anyone kill anyone, Mummy. Is that really the sort of story you want to be writing?
Me: …
B1: *stern look*
Me: OK. Fine. No one kills anyone. No one dies ever, is that better?
B1: Yes.
Me: OK. But, you know, sometimes bad things have to happen to your characters in order to make a story more interesting…
B1: But you don’t have to make them die though, do you? You could just make something else happen.
Me: Like… a giant, green alien pops up out of the ground and hands everyone a bunch of flowers?
B1: …
Me: …
B1: Maybe I should help you write your stories, Mum.
Me: *clicks sulkily onto Reddit*
Monday:
B3 enters office bearing a bowl from the kitchen which he proudly holds aloft.
B3: Nack! Nack!
Me: Snack? You want a snack?
B3: Yes! Come’un Mumma. ‘At way!
*I go and get him a snack and he disappears contentedly into the living room*
-TWO MINUTES LATER-
B3: Nack! Nack!
Me: No, that’s enough snacks for now.
B3: Joo! Joo!
Me: You already have juice. Why don’t you go and draw me a picture? Here’s some paper and a crayon. I’ll come and see what you’ve drawn in a bit.
-FIVE MINUTES LATER-
Me: *enters living room to find blank piece of paper on the floor, B3 staring at the TV, crayon nowhere to be found* Where’s your lovely picture you were going to do?
B3: …
Me: Why are there lines all over the wall, B3?
B3: …
Me: Did you draw on the wall?
B3: *proudly* Yes!
Me: *mutters under breath while fetching damp cloth*
B3: *has meltdown as artwork is destroyed and crayon placed on high shelf*
Me: *wonders if it’s too early for a G&T. Upon discovery that it is only 11am, decides to get B3 another snack. Gets one for self too. Wonders why jeans feel snug.*
Wednesday:
Me: B2, what was the thing you were trying to ask me about elephants and bananas again?
B2: It was. Um. You shouldn’t peel an elephant.
Me: But why would you want to peel an elephant?
B2: *thinks very hard* Because… Maybe he wasn’t being very sensible.
Me: *confused* Who, the elephant or the person peeling it?
B2: *with the air of talking to someone incredibly stupid* No, the banana of course.
Me: …
B1: Mummy, you know she’s trying to tell the one from my elephant joke book, what’s the difference between an elephant and a banana – you can peel a banana but you can’t-
Me: …peel an elephant! *laughs slightly maniacally*
B1: *looks at me with an expression of mild concern* It’s not that funny.
B2: But why can you peel a banana but not an elephant?
FML.