Stuffed Toys Are My Son’s Only Friends
Where’s the parenting during pandemic book for this one?
When I read Lisa Kalkes’ story No One Wanted To Play With My Son, my heart sank a little. That is something so difficult to deal with, I told myself. Children can be so cruel, but sending your little one out there and hoping he’ll adjust is something we all have to do, eventually. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and I sort of concluded that I was ready 🙄 It turned out there are no kids for me to send my son to, thanks to the pandemic. So there we are, tucking him for the night, and him reaching out for the stuffed animals next to his bed — Mommy, these are my friends, I need them with me, so they can keep me safe.
Enter end-of-the-world-sadness. He’s three. A stuffed 🐈, 🐕, 🐢 and🐧are his only friends, or that’s what he thinks. It’s not like he hasn’t seen children in his life. He just didn’t get the chance to play with any of them long enough to call them friends. What was I to say?
Of course, sweetie, they will keep you safe. Also, you have me…
You won’t let anyone hurt me?
No one…
