"Daddy, Moon Come Here."

Nate ~ On Saturday night, Pam wanted to cut up our fresh pineapple and I thought it would be a good time for some father/daughter time. So daddy and Maya K went for a quarter mile walk around our neighborhood. As we walked, we talked about many things. However, Maya K suddenly looked up and the following conversation ensued.

Maya K: "Moon."
Daddy: "Yes, that's the moon. Look, Honey, it is a tiny moon. It's just a sliver."

Maya then repeated the word "sliver" and then put her hand toward the moon, brought it back to her mouth and said, "Eat".

I was a little surprised, but I'm learning to roll with it, so I said, "Are you going to get the moon and eat it?"

(Insert confused look) Maya: "No, no...eat, no. Play!"
Daddy: "Oh. Are you going to get the moon and play with it?"
Maya K: "Ow." (This is the Amharic affirmative)
(Hesitation)
Maya K: "Maya...no. Daddy, Moon come here" ("Come here" is Maya K's way of asking for something now)
Daddy: "You want daddy to get the moon so you can play with it?"
Maya K: "Ow."
Daddy: "Honey, Daddy can't get the moon."
(Look of consternation)
Maya K: "Maya...small" (Indicated with two fingers close together for small) "Daddy...big. Daddy, moon come here."

I then proceeded to crush her hopes and dreams for playing with the moon. I tried to emphasize that daddy couldn't get the moon.

Sunday morning (before church) came along and Maya K asked to watch TV. I said that was fine and I grabbed two library DVDs and asked her which one she wanted to watch. She picked one and I put it in. This DVD happened to have 3 or 4 short animated Eric Carle books on it and the second one instantly got my attention. A little girl looks out her window at the full moon, decides she wants to play with it and is unhappy that she can't reach it. She then asks her father to get it for her. So, what does this unholy father do? Ruin my life...also known as: he got a big ladder, went to the top of a tall hill, and climbed the ladder to the moon. Really? REALLY??? I'm going to go with either a mother or a non-parent wrote this story. This is the perfect set up for a father to be less than his daughter thinks he can be. (Yes, I realize that will be the story of the rest of my life.)

So, Sunday afternoon comes and, to make a long story only slightly longer, Maya K whiningly asked for the sun the whole way home from church. There was no explaining away the reality that daddy can't get it. Mommy even chimed in and tried to help, but it was to no avail. Thank goodness I haven't heard about the moon or sun at all today. :-)

I love my daughter, and I love cartoons, but really. Could we have a little sense built into the stories and messages that we are teaching here? (Don't get me started about the "The Princess and the Pea"!!!)

(Note from Pam: Maya K had watched this DVD a few days before the conversation she had with her Daddy. Apparently she is following the stories very well!!! This is the Eric Carle book "Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me".)