Typically, when I get ready for the day, I bring Chiara, who is 2 1/2 years old, into my bedroom and set her up on the bed with some books and toys. Today, however, she was asking to watch some of Piglet’s Big Movie, which we recorded months ago and keep on hand for just such occasions.I decided that this might be a good option since it would keep her safe in one place until I was done. So I turned on the movie, jumped in the shower, and raced back out to her five minutes later.
There she was, quietly watching her movie, with an open box of Girl Scout All About cookies in her lap and an entire cookie shoved into her mouth. Chocolate everywhere. She had taken it upon herself to go into the pantry and get a little early-morning snack. I asked her if she wanted a little milk to “go with that,” and she nodded happily. So I took away the cookies that were dumped all over her lap, cleaned up her chocolate-covered hands, and sat her back down with a cup. She looked up expectantly and said, “I want one cookie.” When I reminded her that she had already had more than one cookie, she replied, “But you said I could have milk to go with that.” How old did I say she is?
