My Little Helpful

Today I have a bona fide parrot on my hands. And Polly's name is Ashlyn.
She is diligently repeating every blessed thing that falls out of my mouth. To be clear, she's not doing it in the way I used to do it growing up, in what I call the "I'm Not Touching You" mode of sisterly aggravation that one uses to embed one's self deeply beneath your oppressor's skin. (A perennial favorite, always in season).

Nope.

She's attempting to be informative. By taking everything I say and rewording it so that it comes out exactly the same as the way I just said it, only now apparently easier for her fellow 7 year old teammate to properly understand.

She says she's being helpful.

It was helpful of her to listen carefully as I said, "Today you need to take showers", and then turn to her sister and say, "Today we need to take showers."

It was also helpful of her to help Caedance understand the perplexities of the odd taste in her slice of banana bread by re-informing her (seconds after I had), that "it could be a bit of unmixed flour, or maybe baking powder".

And it was monumentally useful when she re-uttered, "sometimes coffee is the only way", solemnly and with deep intensity.

Helpful, right.

For her part, Caedance just smiles at her twin, patiently and with no ill will. Sure, she's capable of hearing everything the first time. In fact, she did hear it the first time. Perfectly. But that's the way with these two. One's "helpful" intentions are generally well received by the other; whether it be Ashlyn's parroting efforts or Caedance's Helpful Computer Tips, which usually end up closing out any program that Ashlyn happens to be in since her "tips" almost universally involve a step that says "Click The Red X".  Every time.

As for me, I figure if Caedance can be okay with it, than I should be too. So I allow it, smiling at my little echo in (what I hope) is taken as appreciation. It is an art, after all, repeating everything exactly as it was said. Annoyance cannot diminish that feat.

Of course, this also means that I have to be on my best behavior language wise. No hasty, unplanned utterances of any expletives can be made. Not that I make a habit of uttering them, mind you.

But it wouldn't do to have my 7 year old parrot re-uttering them. Would not do at all.

Here's to a happy Friday, everyone!
(Here's to a happy Friday,everyone!)