Alison and Dad in 1986When I was in preschool, my teacher thought up a list of questions and conducted individual interviews with each kid in my class. She wrote down everything we said verbatim, then sent the interviews home to our parents. My mom recently found mine and mailed it to me, and it’s so amusing that I thought I’d share it with you.
I was a couple months from turning four when this interview took place.
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What makes you happy?
When I have something of my favorite.
What makes you sad?
When I’ve lost something like my stuffed goose.
What is your favorite story?
I actually don’t have a favorite story. I like lots of different ones.
What do you do when you don’t get what you want?
I ask again is what I do.
What do you do when someone hurts your feelings?
I try to have them not hurt my feelings, and if they do I go away from them.
What are you going to be when you grow up?
A vet, and if I don’t like my job, I’ll switch.
If you could be any animal, what would you choose?
A horse, because I don’t trot very well on four legs, but I trot good on two legs. Do you know what I do to have front feet? I put my hands on the floor too.
What are you most afraid of?
A live dinosaur because they might eat me.
What is your favorite store?
The grocery store because there I can get more food.
What is the best dream you ever had?
One time I dreamed I was watching Sesame Street, and I love watching Sesame Street. I could watch it forever.
What do you like to think about when you’re going to sleep?
Getting up. I wish the night were the morning and the morning were the night because then we could have longer daytimes.
What would you take if you were going on a picnic?
Desserts, of course. And fruits and vegetables because they’re good for my teeth.
What do you use your hands for?
To reach and hold things.
What are your legs for?
Walking and to help attach my feet to my ankles to my legs.
What is love?
It’s actually hearts.
What is sadness?
When you don’t get what you want.
What are tears?
Water and salt inside your body that comes out of your eyes. I cry a lot when something hurts.
What would you do if you were snow?
Of course fall from the sky. I would freeze on the way down because snow is rain that freezes but melts when it’s springtime.
What is a good safety rule?
When the doorbell rings and you’re home by yourself, don’t answer the door. You say hello on the telephone when it rings, but you say, “My mom can’t come to the phone right now,” so nobody knows she’s not home. Don’t cross the railroad tracks when a train is coming and the arms are down. Don’t cross the street when cars are coming. Don’t put your toys in an electric socket. These are five good safety rules to learn.
Why do boats float?
The wind blows them.
What do birds like to do?
Fly in the sky except ostriches and kiwis.
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I particularly approve of Baby Alison’s obsession with food, her eclectic taste in literature, and the fact that even at age 3, she was planning not to stick with one career indefinitely.
I particularly like Baby Alison's description of 5 good safety rules to learn – and that she knew about ostriches and kiwis 🙂 Miss you, friend!
Adorable. Toddler Alison seems like she had a good head on her shoulders. Practical but fun. Dessert and veggies at the picnic. Good decision. 🙂
This has a lovely Gertrude Stein-ish poetic circularity to it. "I ask again is what I do."
Also, your dad is adorable.
I, too, am a fan of the "I ask again, that's what I do" wisdom. No wonder you're getting a book published!
I like four-year-old Alison. I feel like she'd be able to simplify a few matters for me quite nicely!
Four year-old Alison thanks you, Elisabeth. She loved to write poems and would be thrilled to be compared to a literary giant like Stein. Here is a sample poem from age 4 (I swear I am not making this up):
"Corn"
Cornily cornily cornily corn
You can eat it when you're born.
It comes with a cob and also a husk,
Elephants don't have it, but they have a tusk.
I'm totally creeping your blog…call it practice for when your book comes out and I'll be hunting down a copy and poring over it. 🙂 I have to say my favorite answer was the adorable sarcasm about snow…\\\"Of course fall from the sky.\\\" Brilliant!