Oh dear.

[rivka]

We live a few doors down from a kink shop.

It's actually a nice, tasteful, well-stocked shop with friendly and helpful staff, and they're fine neighbors. The only problem is that the shop is at basement level. Which means that their display window starts at ground level, i.e., toddler/preschooler eye level.

They used to regularly have window displays of stuffed animals in bondage gear. It's been a while since I've noticed something like that, so either they've moved away from that design technique or, now that Alex isn't a toddler anymore, I'm not spending quite so much time inching along the sidewalk looking at every conceivable thing there is to see.

But they do still display wares in their window. Alex has asked about it, and I've told her, in my best off-hand voice, that the store sells things for grownups who like to play dress-up. That's satisfied her.

This weekend she got a bag of dress-up clothes for $2 at a yard sale. It's been an exciting new treat; we didn't previously have dress-up clothes at home.

You see where this is going, right?

This morning I explained that this will be her first day of coming home from school at lunchtime to stay with Colin and our new nanny. I encouraged her to be friendly and helpful to the nanny "because she's new at our house."

"Okay!" Alex said cheerfully. "And if she wants to play dress-up with me, she can go to the store that has things for grown-ups who like to play dress-up."

...

...I was so pleased with myself for giving her that explanation, too.

Comments

[antonia-tiger.livejournal.com]

Since the explanation does sort of fit with the window displays I've walked past, maybe the thing to do is warn the Nanny of how you explained it.

(Here in the UK, our polticians have Passed Laws. Stuffed toys in bondage would have unfortunate effects.)