Do Not Disturb!

I'm sure it's not news to you that bringing up children requires a lot of learning for their parents and care-givers. More and more we're required to manage our souls in a more conscious way.

What I'm particularly thinking about right now are interruptions. Specifically, when little ones are absorbed in play. Of course, there are times when they have to be taken out of their games such as, when dinner will soon be served. It's helpful then if they're given some warning like, 'three minutes more'.  And they soon find out this can be used for their own purposes, like for e.g. 'let me play for another three minutes'! Curly-Locks used to be funny about this, because he'd try and hold up the appropriate number of fingers, but he couldn't quite do it, so we got a kind of waggle.

But there are times when we need to hold ourselves back. I remember calling, 'Hey, look at the squirrel hopping along the fence!' when the Blue-eyed Boy was lost in a game. Mistake. He didn't need to be torn out of his world right at that moment, and squirrels would surely hop for him another time.

Games small children love to play

This year we had a family vacation. The granddaughters-of-my-heart are now eleven and nine years old respectively, and the boys are five and three. We stayed in a large house which was on three levels and proved just perfect for hide and go seek. That soon became the boys' new favourite game. They wanted to play every morning and every evening. The girls thought it got a bit old, but they indulged their younger cousins (good for them!)

Babies, from a surprisingly tender age, love it when you play 'peek-a-boo'. They'll smile when you dip down and then bob up so they can see you over Mom's shoulder. Later on, a silk scarf covering a two or three year old's head can be pulled off so they can 'appear' brings much delight.

I was thinking about all this and wondering what the deeper, underlying appeal might be. Then inspiration struck. Of course! This is our whole, hidden, life's goal: to seek for our true selves, the self that most often hides from us.

So join in, and teach your kids to play 'hide and seek'. It will be fun for you as well.

The Magic of Play

A wonderful young woman has been caring for the grandsons, granting me time to concentrate on my other writing. But this also means I haven't had the inspiration for blogs happening right before my eyes.

Anyhow, last night we had the whole caboodle -- family plus two -- to Sunday dinner and a good time was had by all. As our dining table can't accommodate more than six people, the boys had to eat separately. Curly-Locks knew exactly what he wanted. He bustled about, carried a small table down from the deck to the lawn  and arranged it table and two chairs under the maple tree. I brought out mats and cutlery and his brother took their places. Cheryl sat outside with them for a couple of minutes, to see that they started eating properly, but she soon left them to it. They were fine. She told me later that was one of her favourite things to do when she was a child... eat outside, just the children.

Soon after they'd done eating, they came inside and began playing so wonderfully. I can't tell you how thrilled I was to experience this. It hasn't been easy for the Blue-eyed Boy to come to terms with a sibling taking up 'his' space, but things are different now. Helen actually told me that, with her boys, they only really started playing together when the younger could talk well. And I think that's the secret. Partly. I believe it also helps that they have minimum access to television and other media.

I have to say, I believe we are truly fortunate when our children can play. More and more recognition is being given to this. Last weekend, I ran a workshop on creative writing and I realized again how much a playful attitude helps. As adults it helps keep our thinking mobile and gives easier access to our creative imaginations... something so valuable for the future of our world if used in the right way.