Well, the school holidays have started, along with the wonderful windy spring weather that seems to turn even the most normal of people into weirdy, cross, "don't-give-that-guy-a-gun" citizens. Not a stellar combination in anyone's books and of course, I have decided to celebrate by taking two weeks off to relax (ha ha) and spend some of that oft talked about but rarely experienced "quality time" with my nearest and dearest.
Of course, I had forgotten what I like to call "the chant of consumerism" that starts pretty much 3.05pm on the last day of term. It goes something like this - you say to the kids "wow, isn't it great it's school holidays" to which they reply "yes, but we're bored. Can we go to the shops/bowling/skydiving/white water rafting/whale watching..." the options are endless. When you suggest a nice (aka cheap) version of fun, such as a family picnic in the park, they look at you as though you just said "how about I make a call and sell you into white slavery for the next two weeks?". They bravely struggle through their disappointment when the realise that you are not going to sell the house to fund holiday activities, but in return you must suffer the "there's nothing to do, I'm so bored" lament at least 4 times a day, accompanied by resentful looks and deep, suffering sighs. I have come up with a good way to counter this (my dad just used to say "only people with small minds get bored". This has stayed with me for my entire adult life and I don't remember the last time I ever said "I am bored"). I have made up a wonderful list of what the parenting magazines like to call "boredom busters". I feel it is important though, to put your own unique spin on things, so instead of a list that has things like "making a space ship out of toilet rolls and a supermarket stock of tin foil" I have things like
1) Why don't you sit quietly and see who amongst the (insert number of children you are entertaining) of you can get their finger furthest up their nose before it bleeds. The funny thing about this one is that kids will do this all on their own at least once a day, but suggest it and it is "just gross!!!!!!"
2) Get out a dictionary and colour in all of the Os. Use a different colour for each one!
3) Go into the bathroom with your magnifying glass and see which of the black specks in the shower waves back at you and which ones don't move at all!
4) See who can clean themselves quickest using only their tongue!
5) See who can lie on the floor and push a ping pong ball (not using hands) to the other side of the room. The great thing about this one is that the kids might find it interesting and it saves you having to mop the floor if you lightly spray the tiles with water first!
Anyway, I am sure there are some great bonding moments ahead in the next few weeks. Must remember to get my anti depressant script filled.
1 comment:
My favorite was getting them to rush about the yard and clucking like chickens! The entertainment part for me was when they actually did it!
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