“Hi Jen!” 

That’s the greeting I got from my daughter when I called to check on the kids today.

So, avoiding any sort of a meltdown, I responded “Hi, Alana!” (Remember that’s the name my daughter likes to be called instead of her real name). 

I’m trying a new approach with this kid. Let her pretend as much as she wants. I can be her “friend” Jen. She can be Alana. She can be 12 years-old. She can go to the Shakira concert (school in real life). She can be and do whatever she wants… I just want her to be happy.

Because despite the more common saying, when it’s all about mom… in my house, at least, “when the 4-year old is happy, everyone is happy.”