Among Madeleine's many current obsessions is the American Girl book and movie, "McKenna Shoots for the Stars." In this story, McKenna is a young gymnast who breaks her leg in a balance beam injury and spends nearly the rest of the story on crutches. Naturally, Madeleine is spending a lot of time in a pretend cast, using a broom from our broom closet as a crutch. In a situation similar to when Madeleine went through her "Worst Witch" obsession, Ethan and I now find that when we go to get a broom to sweep something up, we can't actually find one in the closet. Usually a quick search of the play room or Madeleine's bedroom will suffice in locating the borrowed broom, which is a little inconvenient, but whatevs. Today I discovered that, despite the fact that she doesn't lift a finger to sweep or vacuum, Julia has reached the point of NO TOLERANCE for Madeleine's broom shenanigans.
MADELEINE: (coming upstairs after doing gymnastics moves on her painter's tape balance beam)
JULIA: What are you doing?
MADELEINE: I need to get something (going to the broom closet)
JULIA: Madeleine. You do NOT need to get the broom to use for a crutch.
MADELEINE: Yes I do! Julia. I just hurt myself on the balance beam.
JULIA: (snidely) Then get some ice.
MADELEINE: No! Julia. I need something to lean on because I can't WALK on this leg.
JULIA: Madeleine. You do NOT need a broom. If you hurt yourself, get some ice.
ME: (from the other room) Julia, come on. She's pretending.
JULIA: But Mommy! I'm SICK of her pretending to need crutches! She's just doing it for ATTENTION!
ME: So what. She's obsessed with McKenna right now.
JULIA: No she isn't! She's OBSESSED with broken legs and needing CRUTCHES!
ME: That's because of McKenna.
JULIA: Madeleine! You do NOT need the broom!
ME: It's fine Julia. Just let her pretend.
JULIA: No! Mommy! She's just trying to get ATTENTION by pretending she has a broken leg!
ME: Honey, just let her pretend. It's not hurting anyone.
JULIA: But Mommy! She CAN'T just keep taking the broom every time she wants to pretend she has a BROKEN LEG!
MADELEINE: (taking the broom and hobbling back to the play room with it.)
JULIA: (letting out an angry, dramatic sigh) Now she RUINED my mood for GALLOPING! (going into her bedroom and slamming the door.)
Yeah Madeleine. You RUINED Julia's galloping mood. Seriously. How is Julia supposed to think about the imaginary Mintz family and pretend they're doing things while Madeleine is simultaneously thinking about the imaginary McKenna and pretending she's doing things?!? Don't you know that only one kid at a time can be lost in a pretend imaginary reverie? Sheesh. Get it together, kids.
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