Lmao as we try to explain to my 8-year-old niece Raylee how her dad, Rus, and I are related:
Raylee: “Grandma lives with us now!”
Me: “Oh, I didn’t know that. Is it your mom’s mom?”
Raylee: “Grandma Roxy [Rus’s mom]. You didn’t know that?”
Me: “Nope, I’ve never met her.”
Raylee: “But I thought you guys had the same mom?”
Me: “We have the same dad.”
Raylee: “Oh! Grandpa!”
Me: “No, not that one! Your Grandpa Don.”
(Blank stare)
Me: “You know, your Grandpa Don who met you at the airport the other day.”
Raylee: “But you both have the same sisters, right?”
Me: (Pause) “Yes, I think so…You don’t have other sisters or brothers do you, Rus?” He says no. “Oops, actually, I found out recently I have another sister from my other dad. I haven’t met her but she’s 15 and lives near you guys. She’s not Rus’s sister, though.”
Raylee: “Ummm…Dad, which sister loves you more?”
Rus: “They all love me.”
Raylee: “But which one loves you MOST?”
Me: “What you should really ask is which one does HE love the most?”
Raylee: “Yeah, which one?”
Me: “Yeah, Rus, which one?”
Rus: “I love them all the same!”
Both me and Raylee: “But which one MOST?”
Rus changes subject: “How’s your mom doing? Did she get remarried?”
Me: “Not yet but I think she’s going to.”
Raylee: “You know J.’s mom?”
Me: “Yes, he knew my mom when she was married to Grandpa Don.”
Rus: “Are they still living together?”
Me: “Yes, but they divorced years ago and live in separate areas of the house now.”
Rus: “So is she my…? What relation is she to me now?”
Me (long pause): “When I was adopted that made you and me related. But after they divorced I don’t think she’s related to you anymore.”
Rus: “But you’re still my sister, so wouldn’t she be my stepmom or something?”
Me: “Uhhh, I dunno. Maybe not, unless she had adopted you.”
Raylee, thoroughly confused: “That’s a lot of people…”
Me, caving with the non-PC answer: “Well…your grandmas and grandpas liked to get married a lot. But your parents like to be married only to each other.”
Raylee: “Oh.”
The End.
