say say o playmate

today was the first day in awhile that being homebound was hard.  the snow is starting to have that relentless january "unfun" feeling and we're all going a bit stir crazy. cleo keeps asking me "where are we going today mom?"  and i think she's finally tired of me answering that we are just going to stay home and be mellow.  today she was exasperated at this response and told me that "i'd better get my car back soon."  i second the notion, but i think not having a car is also forcing me to really indulge in the house arrest and not have to face too many temptations from the outside world. we're thinking the car will be done by the first of next week, but i'm not holding my breath.

with long days stretching out before me, i've found a lot of inspiration in the way preschool teachers do things.  they structure time down to the tiniest degree. at cleo's preschool last year i noticed a lesson plan broken down into 15 mins increments which seemed incredible to me.  but now i find that mentality is helping me get through the day with the kids. i think i really would go crazy if i just let the day happen without a plan. that, or i'd just turn my kids into couch potatoes by letting them watch movie after movie.  

in my new & improved mode, i pretty much make everything we do a project or an activity. for example, bath time has taken on a whole new significance.  both cleo and flynn used to take baths every other day or maybe even every 2 days but now tubbies are a key part of our day by turning it into something we do for fun, not because we have to wash our hair or get clean or because it is a part of our routine.  today we froze a bunch of cleo's jewelry and baby dinosaurs in water and then i put the "treasure cubes" in the tub with them to melt. both cleo and flynn were in a frenzy to collect each thing from the bottom of the tub as it melted off the cube.  yesterday's tub involved an elaborate submarine scheme (cleo's idea) where she used drinking straws to breathe from the bottom of the ocean....and suddenly an hour is gone and my kids are pruned and clean and happy!  and then, of course, it is on to the next. 

i think  these moments of fun are more available to me now because i have the luxury of just being around and not pressed for time or pressured to get up and go.  i find i'm taking my job as a mom more seriously and that seems to be translating into being a better, more patient playmate to my kids.  i once read a great parenting quote that said "YOU ARE YOUR CHILD'S FAVORITE TOY."  i've certainly been finding that to be true.   i've also found that if i give my kids each some undivided attention they are much more apt to handle my disappearing for a bit to get some of my own to do's done.  and then cleo tackles flynn, he wails, and my email is cut short...

there are so many simple ways to entertain kids and i've been attempting to gather some fresh ideas for fodder.  i found a great blog awhile back called let's explore that has given me a lot of good activity ideas and i love the way amy uses everything as an opportunity for fun and learning. if you are interested,  check it out here http://lets-explore.typepad.com/weblog/  and please, if you have some killer ideas of your own or a great resource for activities, please take pity on me and share!