Love Letters
Anyone out there who knows a preschooler, or has one of your own, knows what passionate and intense little people they are. Even though the bodies they inhabit are usually quite small, the opinions of these children are among the strongest you will ever encounter in your life. For example, the red shirt is fine, but you'd better not suggest that they wear the blue shirt or the fire of hell shall rain down upon your head! Or in my case, the string cheese must be pulled apart precisely according to her specific requirements, or else the gargoyle emerges.
Not only are preschoolers resolute in their opinions, but their loves and interests can also be astonishingly fierce. Alice's son Henry has much love for the Star Wars. Angela's daughter is enamored with... well, soap. And kitchen spices. Of course. My daughter is one of the bajillions of little girls out there who is infatuated with the Disney princesses. Oy, the princesses. It wouldn't be so bad if the princess love didn't spill over into the dreaded world of Barbies. I steadfastly refused to ever buy my daughters a Barbie, but I guess I forgot to send my family that memo. Last Christmas we were inundated with Barbies in all sorts of princess get-ups, and they soon became her favorite toys. They must be slept with, bathed with, taken on every outing... Basically she would be happy if we could find a way to surgically attach these princesses to her body so she would never be separated from them. The love for them is that great.
One fateful day back in September, one of my daughter's best friends came over after she got home from a family trip to Disneyland. This little girl brought a little book filled with pictures of her with every princess you can imagine, along with their autographs. And I have not stopped hearing about it since. My daughter had no idea that there was an actual place you could go to meet her beloved princesses! The fact that they all "live" together in one place, and she can actually go and see them all in person is almost too much for her sweet little brain to comprehend. It is so important to her to go and visit the princesses, that when we sat down to write her letter to Santa a couple weeks ago, she decided to write one to the princesses as well. Her letter to Santa was forgotten the moment it was sent, but she asked me every single day since then when the princesses were going to write back. I couldn't let those stupid princesses break her heart. So yesterday I wrote a letter (completely on their behalf!) and left it on our front porch. I rang the doorbell, and had her come answer the door with me. Here is the letter:
The letter was in an envelope with a picture of all of the princesses that I printed out and laminated with contact paper. You guys, you should have seen the look on her face. I wish I had taken a picture, because I have never seen her that excited. She was in a state of princess-induced bliss that I have never before witnessed. She was endlessly, enormously, surpassingly happy. It was such a special moment. I think she and I will both remember that day for a long, long time.
Not only are preschoolers resolute in their opinions, but their loves and interests can also be astonishingly fierce. Alice's son Henry has much love for the Star Wars. Angela's daughter is enamored with... well, soap. And kitchen spices. Of course. My daughter is one of the bajillions of little girls out there who is infatuated with the Disney princesses. Oy, the princesses. It wouldn't be so bad if the princess love didn't spill over into the dreaded world of Barbies. I steadfastly refused to ever buy my daughters a Barbie, but I guess I forgot to send my family that memo. Last Christmas we were inundated with Barbies in all sorts of princess get-ups, and they soon became her favorite toys. They must be slept with, bathed with, taken on every outing... Basically she would be happy if we could find a way to surgically attach these princesses to her body so she would never be separated from them. The love for them is that great.
One fateful day back in September, one of my daughter's best friends came over after she got home from a family trip to Disneyland. This little girl brought a little book filled with pictures of her with every princess you can imagine, along with their autographs. And I have not stopped hearing about it since. My daughter had no idea that there was an actual place you could go to meet her beloved princesses! The fact that they all "live" together in one place, and she can actually go and see them all in person is almost too much for her sweet little brain to comprehend. It is so important to her to go and visit the princesses, that when we sat down to write her letter to Santa a couple weeks ago, she decided to write one to the princesses as well. Her letter to Santa was forgotten the moment it was sent, but she asked me every single day since then when the princesses were going to write back. I couldn't let those stupid princesses break her heart. So yesterday I wrote a letter (completely on their behalf!) and left it on our front porch. I rang the doorbell, and had her come answer the door with me. Here is the letter:
The letter was in an envelope with a picture of all of the princesses that I printed out and laminated with contact paper. You guys, you should have seen the look on her face. I wish I had taken a picture, because I have never seen her that excited. She was in a state of princess-induced bliss that I have never before witnessed. She was endlessly, enormously, surpassingly happy. It was such a special moment. I think she and I will both remember that day for a long, long time.
December 12, 2005