Are you my best friend?

It's a constant question from Little Fish these days.
Hey, you. We are friends, you and me. Are you my best friend? I am one of your friends, wisely replied one teen last week.
But is my sister my best friend? She is my friend and we are sisters and I love her, actually.
Are you my best friend? We can play together because we are best friends.
Hey, do you want to hold my hand so we can walk together, cos we are best friends you and me. Um, Mummy, what is that boy's name again? We are best friends, we are.
And I love P cos he is my very best friend.

But I am not friends with you, Mumma. It is not kind to make me sleep in my own bed.

Last year's friends claimed Little Fish was the best hugger in the school. The year before's friends claimed she was the best kisser in pre-school. Best friends, in the world according to Little Fish, hold hands and obey orders. Amazingly, so far in life, she's not found a shortage of children willing to go along with this.

There are good things in Little Fish's world. In her world, if you know each other's names, you are friends. And if you are friends, then there is nothing more important in the world than holding hands, cuddling, and playing. I suspect she may have some of her priorities more right than the rest of us.

Tia