Little Blog is sad. She is thinking about her grandfather who passed away a few years ago.

Her big sister, Sunshine, is deeply sympathetic. She has been listening to a lot of adult conversation, and has come up with a few answers she is sure will soothe Little Blog.

“Don’t be sad, Little Blog, he’s just resting.”

Little Blog: “And is our old dog and cat who died with him?”

“Yes, Little Blog,” says Sunshine.

Littel Blog dries her tears.

“So are they playing together?” she asks.

Sunshine: “Yes, Little Blog, they play together. But you know what’s even nicer? When people die they come back as someone else.”

Little Blog’s big eyes go even bigger. Then she turns to Sunshine with a wail:

“But how will I know which one is Grandpa?!!”

Mom has bought a new vacuum cleaner and is testing it on the dirtiest carpet in the house. Little Blog and her big sister, Sunshine, are watching in fascination.

“Wow, Mommy, it’s so strong it can suck up anything!” exclaims Sunshine.

Little Blog enthusiastically agrees: “It could even swallow us up!”

Mom thinks this is a great idea. She advances on Little Blog, brandishing the vacuum hose. Little Blog screams and runs for the sanctuary of the couch.
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Dad: “Little Blog, what did you do at school today?”

Little Blog: “Nothing. But we are learning at least.”

Dad: “Well, what did you learn today.”

Little Blog: “We have been doing an ac-ti-vitty.”

Dad: “Did that teach you anything?”

Little Blog: “Yes. I forgot what the thing is we’re learning about, but we’re also learning about other things.”

Dad: “What other things, Little Blog?”

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Dad has been talking to his life insurance consultant, and Little Blog’s big sister, Sunshine, is suddenly very interested. Dinner time is a minefield of tricky questions. How does it work? What does it cost? What happens when you die? What happens if someone else dies? And so on.

This is too much for Little Blog.

“It’s enough, guys!” she exclaims. “Why do we need to talk about death?”

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If Little Blog has her way, South Africa’s bird life will soon have equal political rights.

She is sitting at the window, staring out at the garden.

Dad: “What are you watching, Little Blog?”

Little Blog: “The birds in our garden. Some of them are free but some of them aren’t.”

Dad: “Which birds aren’t free?”

Little Blog: “The ones with a name tag aren’t free.”

Dad: “Aren’t all the birds in our garden free?”

Little Blog: “No, birds aren’t free. If there’s a bird and it’s got a name tag and it hasn’t got a cage, it belongs to somebody. If it flies away to someone’s garden, sometimes they’re kind enough to take their collar off and let them be free and then nobody knows they actually belong to somebody. That’s the way I like them to be.”

Dad: ”Where do you see name tags, Little Blog?”

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