Amie has been having nightmares about a dinosaur coming into the bedroom at night. It has spurred us to investigate whether she understands the difference between what is real and what is not, or “fake”. It is a good idea – we agree with several child developmental specialists – to make sure she does understand.
Baba was convinced she knows the difference already, but I wasn’t so sure. It’s not because she knows the words that she knows what they mean. So he asked her.
– Baba: Amie, is Monsters, Inc. real?
– Amie: Yes.
– Baba: Okay, yes, the movie is real. But is what happens in the movie real, or fake?
– Amie: Fake.
– Baba gestures triumphantly: See?
– Amie adds spontaneously: Boys are fake too.
Ha!
The next morning at breakfast we broached the subject again.
– Baba: Amie, am I real, or fake?
– Amie: You not real and you are not fake, you are just a boy.
We have a lot of work ahead of us and I so look forward to it!