i have one group of preschoolers whose favorite thing to do right after meditation is run over and plop down in my lap. by this, i mean PLOP, not sit. and if i don’t stem the process quickly enough, another child will plop on top of the first and so on, making a ploppy lotus tower of sorts.

anyway, as you might imagine, even with little little guys, if they plop down hard enough it can hurt…especially the kid who gets stuck in the middle.

so, i told the kids that if they plop on top of each other, they will flatten each other out like pancakes. and then after class i would have to carry them out and hand “jamie pancakes” and “kalea pancakes” and “name-your-kid pancakes” to their moms to take home for dinner.

it seems they got the picture, because they proceeded to unpile from my lap and return to their mats. fine. class goes on.

at the end of class, everyone left but for one precious and absolutely edible three-year-old who comes up to me with huge, expectant eyes. she has one of those three-year-old voices that you understand most of what she says, but maybe a few things slip through here and there.

huge smile, she asks me what i thought was “what about the pandas?” i had no idea what she was talking about, so i said “pandas? you mean the spotted doggie toys?”

“no. the pandas!” she implored…i think.

“panda stickers, you mean? i’m not sure if i have any today…”

“no!” she explained, completely deflated, “the pandas you said we could have after class.” i thought she might cry.

and then i realized, she didn’t want pandas. she wanted pancakes and she thought i had some hiding in my bag. man, did my heart break. note to self: sometimes kids take things a little too literally…don’t mention pancakes.