Spud’s been busy rehearsing for her upcoming kindergarten graduation performance. Beyond the poem recital which she has to do, she also has her hands full with a couple of dance performances for her graduating class. She’s been quite into practicing on her own that kid, and has been very determined to get the steps and lyrics right.

In the last 2 weeks, we have been coming home to kids (Squirt being the copycat) and our Nanny dancing to Abba’s I Have A Dream and some other songs that were being played from our nanny’s smartphone. Usually, we are greeted by a head butt of hugs and kisses when we walked through the main door. They’d rush to the door the moment we ring the doorbell and most of the time, they would fight over who gets to open the door first.

The other day, though. That didn’t happened. We had to wait a little longer when the doorbell was rung before one of them went to the front door. And, when it was opened, instead of the usual door-fights, hugs and kisses, Squirt quickly ran off next to his sister who was glued to her Nanny’s smartphone.

We both were being completely ignored by the kids when we walked in. Whaaaaaat..?

Puzzled, I asked them what happened to a kiss and a hug? I almost had to BEG them for ONE kiss as they refused to peel themselves away from whatever they were watching on that smartphone. With Squirt it was easier, but not so much with Spud.

It was only after a few minutes of cajoling that Spud finally came over to where we were standing and with a grunt, she came over grudgingly and said, “Mama…this is waaaaaaay more important than a kiss and a hug! I have to practice! It’s the mostest important”

Erhm..excuse me? What was that? Hmmmm…I wouldn’t have expected that from Spud, but clearly she was in the middle of something and that was way, way, way more important.

I then mimicked her grunt and so I said with an exaggerated sad, sad pout, “Oh? How can anything be more important than a kiss and hug? This is the MOST important thing. I’m feeling a bit sad now. Surely a quick kiss and a hug is OK, no?”

She gave in with a big, fat whine, but not without reminding me that it needed to be quick because she “has to” continue with her practice before her bedtime which she knows was happening soon.

That incident led me to think if she was just emulating our responses of making her wait till we are done when are in the middle of something – like cutting up meat when she wants milk or chocolate or, me telling her to wait for 2 minutes as I try to finish typing up a quick text message to her Papa or arranging their playdate when she wants me to fix the wings of her Little Ponies immediately.

But hugs and kisses? Well, there’s nothing more important than giving or receiving hugs and kisses at any point in time there, my lady. We’ve got to get that changed pronto! Hugs and kisses can never wait  and that’s just the way it works around here, kids.

Because, in the whole wide world, those are important; the mostest. Also because Mama says so.