My children were fortunate enough to have my parents look after them for a day last weekend. They were fortunate because my parents live a couple of hours away and they don't get quality time with them as regularly as we all would like.
The big lesson that I learnt was that we can sometimes be too serious, and particularly with our children.
My mother (Oma) was reading a book to the children and it was about a little boy who was so very well behaved. Every time she read a line about some fantastic thing he did, for example, tidying up his toys, my mum would turn to the kids and say "where's my bucket, blah!" They looked at her in amazement the first time and then it dawned on them - she was having fun! She was kidding around. Their little eyes lit up and they were in hysterics. Quickly joining in, there was a lot of vomiting going on at our place all of a sudden.
It was pretty hysterical. And it has continued on for quite a few days bringing much joy and laughter to the house.
So I have decided to add more silliness to my interactions with my children as I have always believed that life is about having fun and I haven't been doing enough of it lately.
I have been very serious, keeping everything ticking over - the house, my work, meeting the children's needs. I think someone from the outside might have looked at me and said, "where's my bucket, blah!"
