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?!!”

Ever since finding out about this godparent business, Little Blog has had that hatching-a-plot look on her face.

This weekend, she has been asking her big sister, Sunshine, all kinds of questions about her godparents. How much chocolate is in their pantry? Do they go to the beach for holidays? Do they have their own toys? And many more of the same.

Finally, by Sunday evening, her questions subside. In fact, Little Blog seems to have abandoned her intentions of moving out. Sunshine is resigned to never being able to expand her empire beyond one bedroom.

Mom decides to be direct about it: “Do you still want to go live with your godparents, Little Blog?”

Little Blog: “No, Mommy, I haven’t got enough time.”

Mom: “Time for what, Little Blog?”

Little Blog: “To pack all the toys I want to take with and to make a list of all the new toys I want.”

Mom: “So you aren’t going to live with your godparents after all?”

Little Blog: Well, I won’t need godparents, Mommy.”

Mom: “Why not, Little Blog?”

Little Blog: “Because Sunshine said you will only die of old age in a very long time and then we will be adults and we won’t need godparents anymore, so I don’t need them now.”

(Next: Mom tears up the revised will she had been preparing)

Little Blog has reached that stage of her life when she wants to prepare for the future.

It all starts very casually, with an innocent question: “Mommy, what are godparents for?”

Mom: “They are there to help make sure you follow the right path and get a good education and that you are looked after properly.”

Little Blog’s big sister, Sunshine, also knows a thing or two about godparents: “They are there for if your parents die, to look after you.”

Little Blog: “Mommy, who are my godparents?”

Mom: “M and H.”

Little Blog: “Sunshine, if I go live with them, do you think M and H will let me eat all the chocolates I want and have all the toys I want?”

Sunshine: “I think so, Little Blog.”

Little Blog gets that twinkle in her eye that alerts the world and several neighbouring planets that she is about to make a joke. Luckily for her, Mom spots it a moment before Little Blog blurts out:

“Mommy, could you hurry up and die now?”

(Next: Little Blog goes to bed without supper)

Little Blog is having birth issues. She is very worried about her status in life before she arrived in the world.
It all began when she was questioning her big sister, Sunshine, about her past. Sunshine, she suspects, has been getting an unfair advantage. Her suspicions are confirmed when her sister mentions a holiday about six years ago when their Granny accompanied the family.
Little Blog turns to Mom in dismay.
“Where was I?”
Mom: “You weren’t even born.”
Little Blog: “But I must have been waiting somewhere.”
Mom: “Why, Little Blog?”
Little Blog: “Otherwise who would have been there to cuddle you?”
Mom: “Sunshine was there, of course.”
Little Blog: “But that’s not fair!”
Mom: “Why not?”
Little Blog: “Because before Sunshine was born I didn’t get a chance to cuddle you, but she got a chance to cuddle you before I was born.”
Mom: That’s just how it works if you aren’t there yet, Little Blog.”
Little Blog: “I don’t believe you.”
Mom: Why not?”
Little Blog: “Because I remember waiting to come down to you. So I was somewhere!”

Little Blog is perplexed. And it’s not only the fact that the waves keep washing away the sandcastle she is building, even though she is as far from the water as she can get without running out of beach.

What really worries her is the strange woman that is chatting to her mother.

Mom always tells her and Sunshine, her big sister, never to talk to strangers. And before coming to the beach, every day, Mom has repeated the warning: “Don’t talk to strangers!”

But she knows Mom means adult strangers. Mom didn’t say anything when that little girl that came to help her build her sandcastle. And now they are almost friends.

Little Blog is explaining all of this to the other little girl. The part she can’t explain, though, is why Mom is now talking to a complete stranger. Yes, the stranger is that little girl’s mom. But Mom didn’t know her before the little girl came to play at the sandcastle, so that means she is a stranger. And she is an adult.

Finally Little Blog turns to Mom.

“Mommy, why can adults talk to strangers and children can’t?”

“Because adults know who can be friends and who can’t, Little Blog.”

“But isn’t that how people make friends? They are first strangers and then you meet them and then you are friends. Isn’t that right, Mommy?”

Since this is one of the fundamental laws of existence, Mom has to agree.

Little Blog turns to the other little girl:

“Okay, you can be my friend tomorrow, but today you have to be my stranger.”