Mommy Panda or Daddy Panda

Kimmie has always used the word "Daddy" a lot. She often uses it in place of "man". For instance, she preceeds many male names with "Daddy." She will sign "Daddy Aladdin" or "Daddy Blue Genie." She has done this since she was very small.

"Mommy" she only uses to refer to me.

As most of you know, Kimmie has a passion for pandas. We have multiple documentary DVDs on pandas that she watches over and over. We have many books about pandas. She has plastic toy pandas. She has many stuffed pandas and a wardrobe of panda shirts and pajamas.

A common theme on the DVDs, in the books and in the toys is baby pandas with their mothers. Kimmie, however, always tells us that it is Daddy and baby. When we correct her and tell her that it is Mommy and baby, she gets mad at us and yells.

We were talking about this a while back and I told Dad that I thought she felt threatened by the idea that someone else was "Mommy." I suggested that for Kimmie there is only one Mommy. Dad thought about it and agreed that could be the explanation for her insistence that the adult panda is NOT Mommy.

--Mom