I don't like Drama.

on the way home from school.

Finn: There's a paper in my backpack about drama! The boys in my class don't like drama. The girls do, but the boys don't.

Mom: But you like drama, don't you?

Finn: mumbles

Mom: I thought you liked drama.

Finn: I Don't like drama! Why did you think I like drama?

Mom: You don't like drama?

Finn: No, I don't like drama. I like circus and I like puppet camp, but I don't like drama. It's a lot longer than those things, and I don't like it.

Mom: Finn, that's what I do for my job, drama -

Finn: I know you do! I know YOU like drama, but I don't like drama.

silence

Mom: Well. You know puppet camp was kind of like drama.

Finn: It was??

Mom: Yeah. Making up stories, and pretending things, and puppets, and singing like in the talent show - all of that is like drama.

Finn: Well I like those things, but I don't like that drama that's on the paper, and I don't wanna go 'cause I don't like drama.

Mom: Do you like seeing plays like at the Children's Theatre and stuff?

Finn: Yes. I like seeing drama, but I don't like doing drama.

Mom. Huh.

and we continue our day.

I'm Not Familiar With Those Chapter Books...

Finn reads aloud to me from a Bedtime Stories book, the chapter about Red Riding Hood. He reads several paragraphs, then announces:

Finn: I'm not going to read anymore. 'Cause this is a chapter book, and I'm not familiar with those chapter books.

Assassins... or Hair?

Finn: What kind of hair did Lee Harvey Oswald have?

Mom: I don't know, honey.

Finn: What about James Earl Ray?

Mom: I don't know - maybe brown?

Finn: What about John Wilkes Booth?

Mom: I really don't know, Finn - why are you thinking about those bad guys??

Finn: I'm not thinkin' about 'em, I just like Hair!

(Mom's comment: he does. We've been through the what-kind-of-hair question for nearly all the Presidents. This must just be a new category).

Worries and Tears

This happened a few days ago, and it's less a conversation that some thoughts from Mom - bear with me....

Finn brought home from school an order form for Scholastic Books. He was very excited to order a new book and had chosen one - but I suggested we maybe look through it and make sure that it was the one he most wanted.

We looked, and found a 3 pack of Ricky Ricotta and His Mighty Robot books - new favorites. Finn selected those, and I said we could even look through for one more perhaps.

Mom: Now, I'm gonna put a star right here by Ricky Ricotta so we know we want that one.

A few minutes pass. Finn begins weeping.

Mom: What's wrong?

Finn: I'm worried! I'm just so worried!

Mom: About what?

Finn: That Mrs. Mulder won't see the star, she won't know I want Ricky Ricotta! much wailing and crying ensues.

Mom: Okay, let's go through this - this is the order form, see? And I am checking the box that says Ricky Ricotta - so Mrs. Mulder will know this is the one we want. And we might check one more box. And then we'll cut along this dotted line, and we'll put it in an envelope with a check, and we'll put that in your homework folder like we always do, and Mrs. Mulder will get it. Okay?

Finn: Noooooooo!!!! more crying ensues.

I can't recall the exact conversation, but the worries included:

- Mrs. Mulder won't know that's the book I want!

- Mrs. Mulder will lose the book when it comes to the school and not remember I want that book!

- What if someone else wants that book??
and I explain that there are many copies of that book, not just one - so I'm sure there will be one for him.

- But what if there's not one for me?

and more worries I cannot recall right now, all accompanied by growing sobs. Finally, I surrender to his tears, and we get on the couch, and I hold him on my lap while he cries and cries and cries and cries. For the first few minutes, I try to ask what's wrong and address each worry - then I finally ask the right question:

Mom: Do you just need to cry, honey?

Finn: Yeah! I just need to cry!!!!!

And he does. And I hold him. Until he's done.

Sometimes we just need to cry, don't we?

Will there be War?

On the walk home from school today...

Finn: Look! Look at that purple house!

Mom: Yeah! That's awesome.

Finn: Can we paint our house purple?

Mom: Well, not right now - but when we move to the country we could.

Finn: When we move to the country on Vashon?

Mom: Yes. Would you like to have a purple house in the country on Vashon?

Finn: Yes!

Mom: Okay. We can paint your room, too - maybe blue, with the stars and the sun, like you're outside - would you like that?

Finn: Yes!

quiet walking for a few moments

Finn: Will there be war there?

Mom: On Vashon?

Finn: Yeah.

Mom: No. I think Vashon is probably one of the last places in the world there would be a war.

Finn: Good.

Mom: Are you kinda worried about war?

Finn: Yeah.

quiet

Mom: Would you like us to not have the news on at home? Is it hard to see war on there?

Finn: Yes. I would like to not have the news on TV at home.

Mom: Okay. We will keep the TV off when the news is on. You should not have to worry about war, should you?

Finn: No.

pause

Mom: Are you hungry?

Finn: Yes! I need apples and cheese rectangles when we get home!

Mom: Okay.

New questions

Ones I, Mom, did not expect quite so soon in my son's life...

SLAVERY

Finn: Hey! What's slavery?

Mom: What?

Finn: What's slavery?

Mom: Well, it's when people think they can own other people, like a thing, and make them work for them.

Finn: Is it bad?

Mom: Very, very bad. One of the worst things.

Finn: Yeah.

RAGE

Finn: Hey! What's rage?

Dad: When someone gets really really mad.

Finn: Yeah.

IS THAT WAR?

Finn: Hey! Is that War?

Dad: No, that's a protest.

Finn: Is that like war?

Mom: Sometimes it is, it can be - honey, can we turn off the news, please?

Finn: Why we turning off the news?

Mom: It's time to read.

Finn: I'm gonna read my Abraham Lincoln book!

Mom: sighs. Okay.

I'm Your Pet

In bed, talking about the animals they got at school - two bugs, and two fish. Arthropods (I think) to come soon.

Mom: And you get to take care of them, right?

Finn: Yes.

Mom: How do you do that?

Finn: Take your chair down QUIETLY, and put your chair up QUIETLY, so they don't get scared!

Mom: And did you do that today?

Finn: Yes.

Pause.

Finn: Hey Mom!

Mom: Yes?

Finn: I'm your pet, 'cause you always take care of me.

and my heart melts, once again.