Here’s the scene: It is 75 degrees, sunny, and breezy. Assuming you’re not a crazed storm chaser or a gloomy Gus, this day equates to absolute perfection here in SE Pennsylvania.
We haven’t been outside for a minute of it, not even a gulp of the fresh cool air has been had out of doors. (windows are open, but it’s hardly the same thing)
AND
I haven’t really seen the children for hours of the day. Sure, I’ve peeked in on them enough to know they are still among the living and that the four walls of the playroom are still standing and devoid of doodles. Otherwise, I’ve left them to their own devices, but not out of intention.
Here’s the dilemma: I feel horrible amounts of guilt — at least 14.2 lbs of it — for not taking them to a park, a playground, or, WAY easier, stepping out into the backyard to play ball or swing or something or anything. Ahhh, but here’s the rub: they’ve been using their imaginations whilst whipping up crafts and pictures for their pretend store, and throwing pretend birthday parties for their dolls and figures, and generally destroying the left wing of the house in the name of fun, Fun, FUN!
This in and of itself is amazing. I mean, I could do without the mass destruction, but everything else — amazing. If it was 45 and rainy instead of PERFECT, this post wouldn’t have been written. Here’s the way I see it: I’m following an extension of my NEVER WAKE A SLEEPING BABY rule. That’s right, I am in full DO NOT INTERRUPT CREATIVE INDEPENDENT PLAY mode. And yet, AND YET, I must deal with this guilt bullshit. Stupid daddy guilt about NOT playing with them – even though this would change their indie play dynamic greatly. Stupid daddy guilt about not enjoying the out of doors perfection – ahead of a forecast calling for a string of 95 and humid days starting in less than 48 hours.
And okay, the biggest amount of guilt is reserved for not getting more done myself — more than listening to podcast after podcast (fantasy football, already?) reading about the EUROs semi-final matches which start tomorrow, and wandering around the house semi-aimlessly avoiding writing books/articles/posts (save for this one) and not designing clever t-shirts, buttons, and mugs that no one REALLY needs but still buy copious amounts of.
I just now decided to dent their playtime a smidge by mandating a one hour rest period, because I’d like for everyone to be awake for the whole of The Secret Life of Arrietty tonight (yay – family move night!). As you can see in that photo above, the Bear & Mouse aren’t the only ones taking a mid-afternoon break.
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