Prince Hal at the Gate

Prince Hal does less napping these days, so he's left with more time to play with Lucy and EJ this summer. Wouldn't you want to play with this cute little guy?


The problem comes with imaginative Lucy's tendency to be a monogamous playmate: she would prefer to play with one brother or the other, but not both at once. I've seen her play with each well when the other is gone (EJ and Hal also play pretty well together when Lucy's not around), but when both boys are around, she prefers to play with EJ. Then, Prince Hal is the enemy, gets the lesser toy, or while playing houses, becomes the neighbor who lives on the other side of the city. Understandably, this all causes Prince Hal anger, which leads to hitting and/or smashing and crashing.

I try to have compassion for the plight of an eight-year-old girl, as I was one once, and an older sister at that. It's just so hard for me to understand how she can't grasp how much such simple gestures can mean to a 3-year-old at play.

I'm in a constantly trying finding the right balance between housework and attention to the kids. In trying to keep our home at a moderate level of organization and cleanliness, many days I feel I'm only spinning my wheels with the constant need to stop and referee. Now, I do manage to give the older two special times to play together, including when I do manage to get Hal to take a nap. The rest of the time, nonetheless, I expect them to try to include Hal. Is that too much to ask?

One day when they were playing castle and Hal was told he couldn't play, I realized that I had to take a few moments to show them how to include Hal. He can be cooperative if you just give a little. I finally secured a Play Mobile soldier cast away to the side for Hal only to be told that they needed that one, too. I held firm and instructed Hal to knock at the castle gate. King Lucy declared he could not enter. I had Hal knock again and then repeat after me, "It is I, Sir Hal, and I want to join your army and help you fight your battles."

Again, Hal was denied. So, next we tried, "I, Sir Hal, come from the kingdom of Mommy. If you do not let me join your army, Queen Mommy will come and conquer your kingdom and take over your castle."

He was finally admitted.

Perhaps it's because school is starting next week, but I became really fed up with their shutting out Hal lately. I have been more strictly insisting that Lucy allow Hal to take part in group play. She rolls her eyes, sighs, and complains.


The injury below was actually from a talent show that the kids spontaneously started in the front room, with a arm chair as the stage. EJ pulled Hal down onto the corner of a table. You should have seen how it swelled! At first, EJ said he had been telling Hal he did a good job, but then he confessed to being frustrated that he wouldn't get down so he could have a turn.


I taped on his ice pack because he really still wanted to come to the store with me. He can be such a good sport.

Here's the damage a few days into healing:

Despite all of the being shut out and the face injuries, I think this little guy is really going to miss them come next Wednesday when school starts.