Emma and her best friend created a picture together today while at a social gathering. Naturally, we parents were completely charmed to see such an enthusiastic collaboration. The result was a multicolored rendition of happy girls playing side by side with a teddy bear and some giant molecules, while wavy pink lines float through the air.
Alas, when it was time to leave, both girls wanted to keep the picture! As we do not live in the same house, this problem did not have an easy solution. Both girls began to cry when they realized they might not get to keep the picture. Emmy's friend's mom suggested that we take the picture first, and then we bring it to their house later. Emmy brightened at this idea; Best Friend cried harder.
I suggested the converse to Emmy (Best Friend takes the first turn, we take the second turn); Emmy cried harder. Then I suggested we rip the paper in half and give half to each artist. Violent shrieks rent the air. Solomon is lucky he wasn't dealing with preschoolers.
I tried a different tack. "Friends are more important than a picture. It's not worth keeping the picture if it will make your best friend feel bad. I will keep the picture safe and you both can have it the next time you are together." This suggestion was not popular either.
So all of us terminal-graduate-degreed parents stood there for a brief moment, perplexed, as our daughters both cried. Finally, Emma's dad tossed a coin and Best Friend won! Emma was about as good a loser as any 4yo, which is to say, she was a terrible loser. We made sympathetic noises and strapped her into the carseat (aka straitjacket for little kids), planning to do some extra comforting when we arrived home. [Her dad said to her, "If that ever happens again, Emma, what you do is say, 'Two out of three.'"]
As we were preparing to drive away, lo, out of the darkness appeared Best Friend! Exhibiting a grace beyond her years, she had decided to give Emma the picture after all. Emmy managed a sniffly thank you; the picture now occupies a place of honor on our bulletin board.
As we drove home, Emma announced, "I will keep the picture forever."
I explained that she would keep it for awhile and then Best Friend would keep it for awhile. "You will share the picture, and you will take turns! Isn't that nice?"
"No," she said reflectively. "I will keep it forever. It will stay on MY bulletin board."
*sigh* I fear they will both lose interest in the picture long before Emma is ready to share it.
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