Our Little Travel Agent

This popped up in my inbox last week, from ParentCenter.com:

Your 3-year-old now
Preschoolers often work out complicated emotions in their play with animals, dolls, blocks, cars, or other playthings. After a traumatic doctor visit, for example, your child might line up all her teddy bears for shots. If she witnesses a car crash in real life or on TV, she may repeatedly smash toy trucks together.

Disturbing as this may be, don’t interrupt right away. Your child is assimilating the new experience, and play is a safe way to do so. It might help her take the fear out of the situation or make her feel as if she’s in control of the scenario.

Sam does love this kind of play. Her stuffed animals go to the doctor, to restaurants (they always eat rice) and to “fancy parties.” But lately Sam’s coterie of bears (well, 2 bears, 2 cats and a giraffe) have been traveling. Quite a bit. They go to Paris at least once a day, always on the Eurostar. And they have also been to Pevensey Castle a couple of times. Two days ago I found Snips (one of the cats) in the downstairs hallway with a suitcase crammed full of books and toys and old metro tickets.

“Oh, is Snips on his way to Paris?” I asked.

“NO!” Sam replied, affronted at my ignorance. “He’s going to Wales.”

Where did she get the idea of Wales as a destination? No idea.

When I later remarked that it took nearly all day for Snips to get to Wales, Sam said, “Yes, it’s very far. We should go there someday. Maybe when I’m five.”

Sounds good to me. As long as I get to pack our bags.