Interview with Emily
Right now Emily, who is 3 and a ½, loves to be with Patti and me. She loves going places with us and being around us all the time. For the most part it’s fun. She also likes to pretend to help out with domestic tasks like folding clothes, sweeping and cleaning up. People tell us this will all end, especially the part about her wanting to be with us, when she is about to become a teenager. So I decided to videotape her promising certain things so I can play it back some day. It went something like this.
Me: Emily, come here and sit on the couch. Your mother and I want to ask you some things.
Emily: Ok daddy, coming.
(Emily leaps off the kitchen chair where she was drawing and comes running into the living room)
Me: Go ahead and have a seat on the couch…no, not there…sit right in the middle…nice and straight…look forward.
(Emily starts to smile and over does it a little, thinks she is making us proud by doing exactly as she is told. She is sly like that, sly like a fox. Sometimes she will not listen to a word we say, the other 10% of the time she is as obedient as a trained horse)
Me: I am going to turn the video camera on and your mother and I would like to ask you some questions. Ok?
Emily: Can I watch Lazy Town?
Me: No.
Emily: Can I watch Charlie and Lola?
Patti: No. We are going to ask you some questions.
Emily: Can I watch Cinderella?
Me: Stop asking, no.
Emily: Can I see the video camera?
Me: No.
(I sit down in a chair a few feet in front of the couch Emily is sitting in and turn on the video camera. It’s the kind that burns right to a mini-DVD disc. It’s great)
Me: Ok, let’s start with some basic questions. What is your name?
Emily: Emily Dobrindt.
Me: Where do you live?
Emily: In Milton Massachusetts.
Me: How old are you?
Emily: Three and a half.
Me: What is your social security number?
Emily: I don’t know!
Me: Ok, so we’ve established the basics. I am going to ask you some questions and want you to answer truthfully and honestly.
Emily: I made a duck today at school.
Me: We’ll talk about that later. Ok, when you are a teenager, will you still want to spend time with us, your parents?
Emily: YES!
Me: When you are a teenager, will you still want to be seen in public with us, your parents?
Emily: YES?
Me: When you are a teenager, will you still do your chores without problem?
Emily: YES?
Me: Do you know what “chores” are?
Emily: NO!
Me: Ok, when you get older, will you still clean up around the house, put your clothes away and keep your room clean?
Emily: YES!
Me: How old will you be when you leave home?
Emily: 7:30!
Me: No, at what age will you be when you leave us?
Emily: 8!
Me: We hope it’s more like 30, but close enough.
Emily: 30!
Me: Great. One more thing, will you also be nice to your siblings?
Emily: What’s siblings?
Me: Your brother. Will you always be nice to your brother? And sister? Or brothers. Whichever it may be.
Emily: Sometimes he takes my toys or knocks down my lego tower I built. That makes me frustrated. And he sometimes has a stinky butt. But he is just a baby.
Me: I’ll take that as a yes.
Emily: YES!
Me: Ok Emily, you have been a good participant and we will bring this video out in about 10 or 12 years. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Just thought I’d share.