During the month of December we thoroughly enjoyed our activity advent calendar. Last year I made up little slips of paper with winter activities written on them. The kids never got into it. But this year was different. The kids were so excited to choose a paper every day that would tell them the fun and exciting thing we would do that day.
The best part was: the kids can't read. So, on some days when it said "Build a snowman"--and we had no snow--I could say, "Oh wow! We get to go to the library to check out a Christmas movie!" I loved the flexibility of being able to make it all up on the spot. I'm kind of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person.
One of the kids' favorite days was the day when I pulled a huge roll of Gingerbread dough out of the fridge. Maggie was thrilled to make "ginger-man" cookies like I'd read her stories about. At first, I was having a panic attack trying to cut out cute little gingerbread shapes and keep the kids from ruining everything.
Then I had a moment of clarity and realized, "Oh heck! Let 'em at it!" And I stood back and watched Maggie and Coleman have a ball. (Will was much more interested in the toys downstairs).
The cookies were delicious. And skee-wompus. And wonderful.
4 comments:
You know what you're doing here, don't you? You're raising confident children, and it's all good. Just sayin'...
Wow--good for you. I have always had a hard time letting go like that. You're learning it earlier and better than I ever did. Look how much fun they had!! I love it! :) Way to go.
I am glad you "let go" like that. I didn't realize how to do that until AFTER I got divorced, and sorta had to learn about the "big picture" of life. I wish I had learned this lesson when my chillens were much smaller.
What a great idea about the slips of paper. I am betting that last year it just sort of seemed like "another one of mom's things". But this year, it was more fun, because there is comfort in "traditions". I think kids sense that even at their young age. Either way --- Brilliant!
So, you broke the sound barrier. Once you realize that things don't have to be perfect, that children will love the result even if it's hideous, that the result is not the business of anybody outside of your house (and that people who read your blog would just eat up - sorry - pictures of skee-wompus cookies), life gets better.
Your mother taught me that early on. And here's the thing - relief society women (really, almost every woman) get snookered by all the Plutonic ideals that the Great Society of Women celebrate in magazines and lessons and legend. Perfect decor. Snazzy design. Tables set with detail and imagination. Great hair. Smoldering make-up. Dynamic careers - whatever. All of it.
God doesn't care what shape a ginger-man comes in. Just so that he comes. And joy does not pass over a house because the ginger-man looks a little more like a ginger-blob. You gotta love entropy.
Post a Comment