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Making new friends

Amanda and I have been playing "make new friends at the playground" with her dolls for a long time. The script goes something like this: One doll meets another, introduces herself, asks the others' name, then they find something to do like going to the beach, going to Mars, and so on. I've noticed Amanda trying the script out on new friends at the playground.

Luke has been paying careful attention, apparently. The other day at the park he walked up to the mom of one of the 18-month-olds at the park and announced, "Hi! I'm Luke!" They got into a nice exchange of names. I went over to make sure he was being polite, and he announced, "I'm just making friends!" (he's pretty loud with these announcements).

Then he was sliding down the double slide right next to another boy about his age. They got off the slide at the same time and Luke got right next to him and said loudly, "Hi! I'm Luke!" I was right there, so I suggested that he ask for the other boy's name. "Hi, I'm Luke! What's your name?" The other boy looked a bit stunned, and seemed quite a bit shyer than Luke, but as he walked away he said quietly, "My name is Tristan." "Hi Tristan! Good to meet you!" The two played next to each other for the next few minutes. The other boy's mom seemed a bit surprised and pleased that her son had responded, and they did seem to have a good time together. It's not very complicated, as social interactions go, but it's pretty good for a 3 year old, not to mention a child of mine...

Luke's other trick lately (and one reason I'm glad he's announcing that he's Luke) is that he pretends to be other people. For a while it was our babysitter: "Hi I'm Alex!" Then it became a friend of ours: "Hi! I'm actual actual actual Colin!" It's not a problem, until he goes up to strangers and introduces himself that way. Then it becomes confusing.
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