I just wrote down this recent conversation between Clem and Anna for Volume 2 of Philosophy of Preschoolers. It just gives you a little glimpse at the nuggets of wisom contained inside! ***
Clem: "I still have a crush on Riley you know Anna."
Anna: "Why are you telling me that Clem?"
Clem: "It's important. I realized that maybe after the summer you didn't realize that I still had a crush on Riley after all this time, but I do. Cousins need to tell each other important stuff."
Anna: "You're right. I'm having a princess party for my fifth birthday. I'm going to have a princess cake and princess crowns and-"
Clem: "Why are you telling me this Anna?"
Anna: "Because it's important."
Clem: "But not important like a crush."
Anna: (mutinously) "It is. Princess parties are so important...anyway, what does it mean to have a crush?"
Clem: "It means I still love Riley."
Anna: "Why is it called a crush then? Why don't you just say that you love him?"
Clem: "Well...it's called a crush because when you really love someone you want to...you know...crush them on the ground or against a fence."
Anna: "That would hurt them."
Clem: "You have to crush them otherwise they might escape. They need to be trapped."
Anna: "Oh. That makes sense."
Clem: "You don't want the boy you love to escape, you see, but they always try to escape and run away. That's what's so hard about crushes."
Anna: "I'm glad I don't have a crush."
Clem: "It's not easy."
