Here are some titles of recurring pretend games the girls have created: Mojo Jojo, Don't You Don't, The Mermaid and the Witch, The Lion vs. The Tornado, Tigers, and Princess Warriors. They all seem to involve some variation of Emma being a mean villain and Sophie trying to get away from her. (Sense a pattern, anyone?) These games have a tendency to get violent. Quickly. So much so, in fact, that we've had to create an actual safe word. Sophie has been instructed to shout "Apple!" whenever she wants the game to stop. Like, for example, if Emma is dangling Soph upside down or sitting on her head or wrestling her into a half-nelson and Sophie's subsequent sobs of terror are not enough to signal to Emma that, yes, she is actually harming her sister and needs to cease and desist immediately, then the safe word is employed. Sophie often needs reminded of the new safety procedure, so whenever I hear her screeches of protest I start screaming, "Use the safe word, Sophie! Use the safe word!" (This always leaves me feeling rather dirty, like I'm preparing my children for a different use of "safe word" later in life...but then I throw up a little in my mouth, empty my brain, and refuse to follow this line of thinking any further.) I'd say since the institution of Operation: Apple, Sophie has uttered the safe word approximately 25 times. Emma? Yeah...not once.
The other day I caught the kids on video while in the midst of negotiating the never-ending terms of one of their games. (This was pre-safe word; hence, the video's ending.) It is so fascinating to me, watching their dynamic. Emma can be domineering, no doubt - but she also has moments of really trying to be patient, which just makes me wanna eat her up with a spoon. And I especially love hearing Sophie speak up for herself, even with her limited vocabulary. Yes, she allows herself to be manipulated by Emma, but only to a degree. Much like Chris and me, actually. It's Emma's world; we just live in it. For now, anyway. I suspect our youngest is gonna eventually challenge Queen Em for the throne. And when that day comes, I just hope I'm able to take cover before the explosion hits.
2 comments:
Sophie needs one of those loud air horns that she can press to say "No." G Kitty
Did Sophie really declare, "You'll never defeat me!" right at the beginning of the game there? That's freaking awesome.
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