Now That I’m Alone I Can Laugh

Today on, “Why is my child crying?”

Someone had mistakenly thrown away her pet snake. Named Serena. Which was actually a stick. We later realized she was thrown into the street and a car drove over it, so her head came off.

I mean, crying. Wee One ran down the street crying. She was devastated. She said, “I wish cars weren’t invented.” (So they wouldn’t drive over her snake.)

Then I was like, “Maybe that wasn’t really Serena. Maybe your Serena slithered away.” “Mommy!” She cried. “It’s a stick! It can’t slither away!”

She knows it’s a pretend snake, so she’s upset about her stick. I know better than to laugh and be like, “It’s not a big deal! It’s just a stick!” She knows that. I don’t want to diminish her feelings – her magical imaginative game was interrupted. Reality crept in. That sucks! I’m always mad when my imaginative life is interrupted.

I picked up Serena from the street, cradled her in my arms and said, “Maybe we can take her to the doctor. Let’s take her to an animal hospital and maybe they can help her.” WO came over and sort of crushed her head even more, but then sort of flicked the stick, so she can see the snake body moves as well as ever. WO was happy about that and all was well. We laid her down in the garden bed where Serena will be safe from grasping hands.

(But you guys… a stick! Hee!)