Just Make Sure He Is Rich

R "Mommy, I don't know who to marry!"

I am exasperated when she says this. She talks about marriage and marrying her father often in a way that is very cute and innocent. But as her mother I want to grab her by the shoulders and yell into her face "You don't need a man for anything, you can be whatever you want without a man. You can be independent. Never answer to anyone! Who needs men anyway?"

Instead I answer "you know R, you don't have to get married."

R: eyes wide as saucers " I don't?"

Me: "Nope! You can get married if you find the right man but you don't have to get married"

R: "But you wanted to get married right, Mommy?"

Me: "yes, but I found the right man"

R: "I am worried I want to marry the Jonas brothers* but other people are older than me and I don't know them yet and I know they are going to marry older people"

Me: "you don't even know the Jonas brothers, maybe they wouldn't be perfect for you like maybe they don't like to color or watch Princess movies. Maybe they don't like blond hair or to sing...wait, oh yeah.

R: "gotcha, they DO like to sing"

She got me alright.
I just never knew conversations about getting married would be so serious and would come only 6 years into parenting. ALMOST makes me wish for the death conversations involving my Dad to come back.
Almost.


* really how the heck does she know about teh Jonas brothers anyway? Stupid school!