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Monday, February 7, 2011

Repetition

"Happiness is the longing for repetition."-Milan Kundera

If this quote is true, then Maeve is one of the happiest people I know.  She longs for repetition all day long, and yearns for everything to happen over and over again.


It started with a book.  Maeve loves Tails, and we've been reading it every day.  This last week, though, she started fussing and whining when the book was over.  I thought, Well, she just wants to hear another book.  Nope, continued whining until Tails was read again.  And again.  And again.  At this point it takes about five readings of the book to satisfy her, then she gets bored and wanders off.


I have taken to hiding Tails.


She got a book from her grandparents for Christmas that came with a little Sesame Street CD player that plays, among other things, Rubber Duckie.  I am a huge Sesame Street fan, so classics like Rubber Duckie are fine with me.  However, Maeve will now fuss at the CD player until Rubber Duckie is played, and will fuss again when it ends if it's not immediately repeated.  I'm a big enough Ernie kinda gal that this has not yet sent me over the edge.


In some ways, I'm with Maeve.  If something is that good the first time, it will be good every time thereafter ad infinitum; hence my ability to watch my favorite movies or read my favorite books over and over.  If I like a song enough, I've been known to put it on repeat for a few hours (isn't that right, former roommates and current husband?).  


It's just that her favorite things require work from me, and are so short that repeating them means hearing them a lot.  I don't even mind reading her the same book over and over, I just don't like being whined at every time I say "The end".  But it's about that time in life for her, repetition makes her feel safe and at home.  And I won't mess with that.


Tell me again, Dad, what does the cow say?


2 comments:

  1. We haven't hit that stage around here, but when we do, I'll definitely be hiding books and the like! :)

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  2. I've hid "Wacky Wednesday" and have been known to slyly slide any Star Wars book under the bed! And don't get me started about the Wiggles CDs in the car!! :)

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