One thing Dylan’s latched onto recently is the idea that other things are like him in some ways and different in some ways. One of the most heartwarming moments I’ve shared with my son was a few weeks ago, when one of his friends was visiting: my little boy looked up from his playing and said, of his friend, “I’m just like her, but I’m a little different.”
A few weeks later, this scene ensued:
DYLAN and DADDY are on the sofa, talking about the movie Frozen
DYLAN: Is Elsa a bad guy?
DADDY: Well, not really. She just wanted everybody to go away and leave her alone.
DYLAN: Why?
DADDY: Because she was scared she might hurt somebody.
DYLAN: Why?
DADDY: You remember at the beginning? She was playing with her sister and she hurt her sister by accident.
DYLAN: Why?
DADDY: It was an accident. (sensing a teachable moment in the wake of several Dylan-throws-himself-on-Daddy’s-bad-shoulder incidents)Because she wasn’t careful.
DYLAN: Why she not be careful?
DADDY: I guess she didn’t know how. She was too scared so she didn’t learn how to use her snow power safely.
DYLAN: (thoughtful) I’m just like Elsa, but I’m not her.
DADDY: How are you like Elsa?
DYLAN: I’m like Elsa because I try to be good, but sometimes I’m not.