When we got back from vacation, we found a message on the answering machine from Olivia asking if she could come over to play with Charles. Sadly, we didn’t answer her while we were gone. I presumed that Zina had mentioned our absence to her (which Zina knew of because she was taking care of POset). I asked Charles if he had spoken with Olivia at school —
Dad: Charles, did you tell Olivia that we had been on vacation?
Charles: No.
Dad: Don’t you talk to Olivia at school?
Charles: She’s not my girlfriend!
Dad: You only talk to girlfriends at school? But you talk to Josie and he’s not your girlfriend.
Mom: Definitely not.
Charles: I don’t talk to girls unless they are my girlfriend.
Corwin: But you talk to Mom and she’s a girl.
Charles: At school.
Nevertheless there was no school for Charles today, while Alice was away at day care and Corwin had a morning half day. I tried to have Charles call Olivia to come over but as per policy, Charles doesn’t talk to girls so I invited her over. She showed up a bit later and the two of them played together all morning, having enough fun that the Wii wasn’t turned on until after 11. Apparently the ban on girl based communication doesn’t apply in the house (which explains talking to Mom I suppose).