My cousins Molly (nine), Abby (five), and Robert (one and a half) were there. After dinner, Molly and Abby wanted to play hide and go seek. Robert and I hid together, Abby hid in another room, and Molly looked for us. Unfortunately, Robert isn't a very quiet hider, so we were found rather easily. We decided that maybe Robert shouldn't play anymore, so we turned him over to his father, Barry. Then Molly hid, and Abby and I found her. Molly was being a pretty good sport about letting Abby be my partner, an honor that is usually fought over viciously.
After a couple rounds, Molly demanded that I hide with her, and although Abby wasn't thrilled, she agreed. I must have tried to appease her by promising to hide with her next time, because after two more rounds, when Molly and I told Abby that we would be the seekers, Abby apparently had had enough. When we found Abby not at all well hidden, just sitting on the couch in the study, and Molly tagged her, Abby started bawling. She blubbered out the words "You PROMISED!", confusing Molly and me because neither of us remembered my promise. After several very noisy and unhappy minutes I managed to get her to hear that I would hide with her right now, but that wasn't good enough.
By that time, Barry had announced that due to Abby's crying, the game was over. That made her cry even more. Nana came in, and told Abby to go ask Barry if we could play one more game. His answer was NO. I was more than ready to quit by this time, but Nana used her grandmother skills and experience to convince Barry to let us play one more game. Molly found us pretty quickly, but that satisfied Abby. And me.
I was surprised that Abby was so meticulous about keeping promises.! was surprised that she remembered my exact words. I thought a little kid could be pacified by saying "We'll do (whatever it may be) In a minute," and that if it took ten minutes it would be no big deal. But not with Abby. With Abby, a promise is at the very least a binding, legal contract, and you better not try to wriggle out of it. I was also surprised at how well Molly handled the situation.
--Jared. Journal. 1996.