My daughter turned three yesterday; she’s amazing! I know that all three-year-olds are. I know that all children are.

This one’s been on an imagination tear. My boys have imaginations too, active ones, but they don’t do as much pretending as their sister does. At least they don’t initiate it as much.

Among her favorite things to say is, “How ‘bout you be…” followed by the suggestion of a pretend scenario in which we each play out familiar roles. For example, “How ‘bout you be Kristoff and I’ll be Anna,” or “How ‘bout you be Charlie Brown and I’ll be Sally,” or “How ‘bout you be Kion and I’ll be Fuli,” or even, “How ‘bout you be the baby and I’ll be the mommy?” The pretending ensues.

She absolutely loves it. Admittedly, the pretending can occasionally get a bit monotonous. She’ll say something in character, I’ll respond, she’ll repeat or direct me, I’ll be silly, she’ll demand that I get back in character, and so on. This can go on for long periods of time and follow some pretty simple story lines. I guess that’s what you get when you pretend play with a three-year-old.

However, it’s not the play itself that keeps me coming back for more. It’s the creative thinking, the connected imagination, and the pure joy that I see my daughter experiencing, and especially the time we get to spend together.

She’s a little kid. When she says, “How ‘bout you be…” I suspect she’s not actually asking me to pretend to be something I’m not, not beneath the surface that is. My guess is that she’s actually asking, “How ‘bout you be…here for me,” and I’m thrilled to be blessed with the opportunity.

As educators and parents we’ve got to remember that one of the most important gifts we can give the children we serve is the gift of fully engaged interactions. We can’t always be there, but when we can we should be there holistically, valuing their voices, modeling caring and kindness, and appreciating the gift that is our collective learning and growth. There’s nothing more rewarding than being around for the joyful imagination of a child. How ‘bout we all be…?

Live, listen, learn, lead, and always bring your best.