Even Spiderman needs his mama

As it turns out, I am related to Spiderman! To be more specific, my three-year-old nephew (JGS) is convinced that he is "Pidey" (or Peter Parker, depending on his mood), although since leaving our house he is also quite into being Superman. But this post is about Pidey...

Pidey arrived at our house with his mom (Jenrie), his dog (S-dog), and his grandma (my MIL; Hubby's mom) the Monday night before Christmas. They stayed with us until the morning of the 28th and it was a wonderful week of family and fun.

As he is enamored with his older cousins (J-Mav and Keeper Boy), if any of us needed Pidey to do something, it was generally enough to ask J-Mav and/or Keeper Boy to do the same thing, and Pidey would imitate. Mission accomplished.

On some occasions, however, that didn't work with Pidey. On the other hand, statements like these did often work to distract him from potential meltdowns or accomplish tasks:
"Drink your Spidey Milk so you get big and strong."
"Use your Spidey Webs to help clean up."
"[J-Mav] and [Keeper Boy] are getting THEIR jammies on..."
"You need to go to sleep so you can get up when [J-Mav] and [Keeper Boy] get up!"

But there was one monumental force working against us all that even special Spidey powers couldn't overcome. Fatigue. Pidey is at that stage dreaded by parents everywhere: he's not really napping anymore, but he kinda still needs a nap, but if he takes a nap he doesn't go to bed at a good time, and so on. When Pidey was tired (a) it was very easy to tell, and (b) there was nothing to really be done about it. As his aunt and uncle (and not his parents), these events did provide many moments of amusement for Hubby and I.

When Pidey has hit the wall, most conversations with him are much the same. Following is a paraphrased example from a trip to Red Robin one night while they were here. Note: Pidey's lines are are verbatim. The rest is paraphrased.

Hubby: Hey [Spidey], how's your dinner?
Pidey [said in a somewhat whiney, somewhat sing-songy voice while looking away from whomever is speaking to him]: Mama
Hubby: You aren't going to finish eating?
Pidey: Mama
Me: How come you won't talk to Uncle [Hubby]?
Pidey: Mama
Hubby: I'm going to have to come over there and tickle you again.
Pidey: Mama

And on and on. It really was amusing. It was helpful in knowing when he had hit his wall though. No questions on that one.

I think I'll try that the next time I'm asked for something and I'm just too tired.

"Mama."

Think it'll work with the kids?