Pirate Games/Baby Blogging cont.

For the last several hours I’ve been the Green Pirate and I’m okay with that. “Pirate” is a much better game than “Tiko the Dog.” With Tiko there is really only one part—Tiko, of course. And, Cole gets to be Tiko and all he does is yap, yap, yap and bounce around on his knees. But in Pirate there are parts for everyone—the Pink Pirate, the Yellow Pirate, the Red Pirate, the Black Pirate, etc. (all named by the color of their tee shirts). Plus, there are lots of “aarrrgghhs” and “mateys” and discussion of gang planks. In short, more opportunity for creative dialogue. The fire truck monkey bars in the park becomes a pirate ship and we cruise the South Seas looking for Captain Shawn and his mate Kirsten who abandoned their children, left them alone with pirates; turned them into pirates, actually, and who must be found to answer for their crimes. Pirate justice is severe and summary. Pirate play takes us out of the normal reality of sibling rivalry, time-outs, naughty rugs and other Supernanny concerns. When one is a pirate one is expected to salt one’s language with lots of “stinky butts” and “farts.” There are no recriminations for pirates. To be a pirate, after all, is to be beyond repair; beyond rehabilitation. Pirates are free and uncorrectible. “Pirate” is just about the best game there is. Pirates have to know lots of new words like “hammock” and “homeport” and “jetty” and “vast you lubbers.” Pirates can go anywhere and terrorize whomever they please. And when pirates have returned to their homeport and enjoyed a traditional pirate dinner of blueberry waffles, they can climb into their hammocks and...what? Tiko the Dog is back. “Yap, yap, yap.” Arrrgghh!