Monday, March 22, 2010

Brodyisms: kisses and love and Oedipus too

This morning I was upstairs getting ready for work. Brody and Jeremy were in the living room/kitchen area. Suddenly, Brody is screaming and crying.

I run downstairs. Jeremy is standing there, shaking his head at Brody, who has real tears rolling down his cheeks.

Me: What happened, Brody?

Brody: Daddy kissed me.

Me: Daddy kissed you? Well, that's a nice thing. That means he loves you.

Brody: No! Daddy kissed me and I told him no, I didn't want dat!

I look at Jeremy, eyebrows raised. He shakes his head, as if to say, I have no idea. Such is the temperment of the toddler.

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Brody: You know what, mommy?

Me: What, Brody?

Brody: I love you.

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About an hour after bedtime, Brody calls out "MOMMMEEEEE!"

sigh.

Me: What Brody?

Brody: I'm scared.

Me: Scared of what?

Brody: I'm scared of the . . . um. . . . door.

Me: Uh-huh. You're scared of the door?

Brody: Yeah, I'm scared of the door.

Me: Are you lying because you just don't want to go to sleep?

Brody: Yeah. I don't want to go to sleep.

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Jeremy dropped Brody off at pre-school. Brody's self-appointed caretaker, a 5 year old girl named C, immediately started talking to him. Jeremy asked Brody, "Who is that, Brody?"

Brody responded, "That's C, she my friend."

Jeremy replied, "Oh, is she your girlfriend?"

Brody, horrified, said, "NO! Mommy is my girlfriend."

4 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

I was just reading about these issues in a child development book. Threes often have trouble being kissed. And they are very jealous of anyone coming between them and the parent of the opposite sex. Thanks for playing it out for me.

Unknown said...

Yesterday, Rylie told me she was married to me. Then she said she was married to her imaginary friend. I think she is a bit confused on the concept ;-)

OTOH, I think it is very important for children's wishes about physical affection to be honored. I ABHOR the fact that some parents force their children to kiss/hug and be kissed/hugged. To me, that is such a private thing, and children should never be forced to do such a thing. To do so teaches them that they do not have the right to control the intimate actions done to them by adults. Which is just wrong, wrong, wrong.

Not that that is what J is doing, just a hot button issue for me.

Lolita Breckenridge said...

Robyn, we are the same way. If he doesn't want to kiss or hug you, he won't. He's more likely to kiss and hug too much - like all of my bosses and male and female co-workers. Even the 50-something males who have no kids, he reaches his arms up. It's quite cute. This morning, however, he was back to kissing in his Brody style: lips, then cheek, then other cheek, while holding your head.

SaRaH said...

MMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmI could just squeeze that boy!