Roles

I can only imagine what it's like being basically brand-new to this world and knowing so little about how society works. Brianna's observations and questions sometimes remind me of how I've felt when visiting very foreign countries. Though she's been more bold in asking questions because she has no fear of offending anyone. Here's our conversation lately (well, an abridgment - we've had similar forms of the same one a few times):
b: Mommy, where Daddy?
me: He's at work. He'll be home at dinnertime.
b: Why Daddy work?
me: He works so he can make money for us so we can buy the things we need.
b: Mommy work?
me: I don't leave you and go to work - I stay with you and take care of you all day.
b: Daddy go gym?
me: No, only I can take you to the gym. Daddy's at work so he can pay for our gym.
b: Where Parker's Daddy? [Parker is her friend down the street]
me: His Daddy is at work.
b: Where Parker's Mommy?
me: She's with Parker at Parker's house
[this conversation continues with Brianna asking about Sienna's mom and dad, Allen's mom and dad, and so on, listing all her friends and asking about where their parents are and what they are doing.]
Brianna asked about her friend Cedric, who happens to have parents with reverse roles. That took her a minute to process. Now she'll randomly make statements like, "Cedric mommy goes to work."

Brian and I had a [short] conversation once about what it would be like for us to switch breadwinners... I go off to some Public Health job all day, he stays home with the rugrats... Brian emphatically stated that he would go absolutely nuts and could not handle it. Funny - I feel the same way about doing his role!