Angry bird

"Mommy, what birdie doing?"
"The bird is flying, sweetie."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why flying?"
"Do you mean how is the bird able to fly or why does the bird like to fly?"

"Why *like* flying?"

"Well, do you like to run?"

"Yes!"

"Why do you like to run?"
"I not know."

"Well, birds are made to fly like you are made to run. And because they are made for flying, they are very good at it, and it is a joyous thing for them to do. By joyous, I mean makes them happy."

"Birdie happy flying?"

"Yes!"

"Birdie not happy, birdie angry."
"What?!"

"Birdie *angry* mommy."
"Um, ok...why is the bird angry?"
"I not know."

"OK, how do you know the bird is angry."
"Bit me. In the car."
"What?!"

"Birdie bit me in truck. Flew on car and bit me."

"Um, was this a dream."
"Uh huh."

"Ok, so let me get this straight, you had a dream in which an angry bird flew onto the truck and bit you. Is that right?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, I think the bird is probably happy now. It was just a dream."

"No! Birdie very angry."
"Um, ok. What can we do to help the birdie be happy?"

"Snack."
"We should give the bird a snack?"
"Yes!"

"What kind of snack would make the bird happy?"

"Goldfish! Snack make birdie happy!"

Fortunately for the "birdie", fruit and cereal at daycare was an adequate substitute for the goldfish. And here I thought he was a little young for the whole metaphor thing...