Wow. All that has happened between the last month and now. It is, inadequately stated, tumultuous. But also so much more. Very recently, a mere week or two before this virus was deemed serious indeed and cities wisely directed citizens to ‘shelter in place’, I was reflecting on my own rural childhood, and how trips to town were significant events for specific purposes, such as a family gathering, church, or grocery shopping. Otherwise, we were at home, living and working together, or my siblings and I would be off in the woods playing and exploring for hours before we wandered home for lunch.
My family currently resides in town, with a quarter of an acre to call our own, and this is considered a large plot. While the weather is warming up and we are finding plenty of opportunities to get outdoors now, winter was not so easy. I would often take my girl to the store just for a handful of items we could use (or simply wanted), so as to have an outing for the day. That just didn’t happen in my life as a child, and I didn’t miss it. Sure, there were some days of boredom, but that is fine and even good. Now, I feel I am inadvertently cultivating a desire, and what sometimes feels like a need, to ‘have something to do’ in my little girl’s heart, and I’m not sure I like that. I want her to be content, but also have the ability to be content during less exciting times of her life, and so likewise I must. She will not easily be able to draw qualities from a well I did not work to fill. And as we know, these musings were closely followed by circumstances which force this particular principle into action.
With everything closed, parks off-limits, and play-dates understandably cautioned against, we are now quite home-bound. Praise the Lord that this has occurred when the weather is growing warm again, and not in the depths of winter. We already own a swing, but I thought we might need a few more things to help foster creativity and play for an 18 month old during this time. (Believe it or not, she has asked repeatedly to see specific people and friends. Who knew an 18 month old would have such social preferences?? I certainly didn’t! It’s amazing to see the budding personality she will surely carry throughout her life, and at such a young age. Wow!) So we bought a relatively cheap, but sturdy, slide from Target, $.99 sidewalk chalk and water color paints, as well as a classic yard sprinkler.
The slide alone probably would have been enough, she’s been enjoying it so much. The chalk, too, has brought a lot of excitement, which I was happy for. I never cared much for chalk as a child, and I wasn’t sure what she’d make of it. Besides the new items, we’ve also done bubbles, reading, yard-work, house work, baking, and gardening together. If you’re picking up sticks in the yard, invite your little ones to help, and they likely will! Are you sweeping the kitchen? Give your child a broom, or really anything broom-like, and watch how they try to imitate you. My little girl seems to thrive when she feels that she’s being a helper, though I understand children are different. Remember, it is an invitation; if your two year old declines to pick up sticks, don’t demand they help you. It’s different if you’re doing work and delegate a task, then sure, you need to have follow through.
So far, we’ve been making it just fine. There have definitely been times when I struggle against boredom and discontent, thinking, ‘another day, another round of monotony‘, but my daughter is not necessarily thinking this, and she is relying on me to set the tone for the day. And so I try my best to remain upbeat, and sometimes I fail, but that’s also ok. I am sure that it can be more difficult with older children who have more (and vocal) preferences to keep them engaged and content, especially those whose activities have been cancelled. I am sad for them! But try to remember, dear parents, the way of the day is up to you, and while you are not totally responsible for your children’s attitudes, you are responsible for your own. Try to make the best of this time.
Finding Milk & Honey 