the ocean

An Education

This week, my nephew asked us to "play school." He was the teacher. The role seemed to primarily involve barking commands like a drill sergeant in a WWII movie. He gave us all toys and ordered us to play with them in certain ways. I was severely reprimanding for holding a lego creation in what was apparently the wrong way. Then it was nap time, which meant that he shouted at us to alternately open and close our eyes. He kept yelling "I don't want to see any eyeballs" during the sleeping parts. I'll admit it: this exercise has caused me a certain bit of concern about what is going on at that preschool.

He also wanted to play a card game, by which I mean he wanted to take cards out of pile at random and declare people the winner. I was doing pretty well despite not having any idea of what the rules were, if any, when things took a turn and he said "I forgot to go to the bathroom." That was quickly remedied, but upon his return he wanted me to be able to recreate the exact sequence of cards that had been played before his departure. When this proved impossible, there were tears, and no amount of PJ Masks seemed able to remedy them. 

Fortunately, my sister and her husband are experienced professionals by this point, and understood the important point that iPads cure everything. Within a few minutes, some soothing had been accomplished, and I was able to slink off to my car. I was even loaned a Rocket Raccoon toy that I had absolutely no desire to carry publicly for my troubles in this matter.