Kids Play

Did I tell you we are practically a No-TV family?

The girls watch ONE TV show each week, on Sunday morning - Pretty Cure. Otherwise, the TV does not go on. The girls even turn it off by themselves when they finish watching something. We watch a video or DVD every second day or so, especially if the girls are getting raucous or are nagging me for dinner! Go TV babysitter!

But otherwise, none of us even thinks to put it on. The kids don't ask. I don't watch it. Only Kanji watches it, and he will put something on for the kids to watch, when he is tired of them jumping all over him. I only watch after the kids have gone to bed, maybe a documentary or a movie (okay, and maybe occasionally a sick reality show) usually while I am doing something else (I will be folding laundry, sorting papers and wrapping Bratz dolls tonight, for example).

So, what do we do all day? Well I finally managed to get the living room clean, which was harder than it sounds because at the centre was a mixed pile of assorted Lego and other blocks and bricks and dolls and magnets, plus piles of paper and pencils. I cooked three meals and two snacks (breakfast:weetbix and yogurt with fruit; toast for morning tea, boiled eggs and corn and potato fritters for lunch; meringues with strawberries for afternoon tea, and beef stew, stir-fried vegetable and lettuce salad for tea).

I caught up on some blog entries, added some photos, wrote some emails, downloaded some coloring pictures and collated some advice on art lessons for Amy. I started to tidy Kanji's shelf, boy what a job that is going to be - I will continue in a moment. I also went to Fadies and got some apricots, tea, and corn for lunch.

Amy tended to her slater farm, adding water and dead leaves, and collected more slaters. She started making an alphabet picture book, she did f,m,b, and some others. She devised and initiated a doctor game consisting of scrap paper, scissors and tape, with which she made various medical instruments, mostly bandages and face masks. She used my home medical guide for reference, having found a picture of a first-aid kit to copy. She treated various dolls. She played Dora the Explorer. She built a house out of cardboard boxes and cushions and decorated it with an old telephone and a puzzle. She danced to Blondie. She pretended to be an elementary school girl. She played on the swing.

Lena followed her big sister around holding the pot we are using as a slater farm while Amy collected the slaters. She took Pooh around and around the room in the dolls' stroller. She played her current favourite - Grandma's 2003 Christmas present, a wire-and-ball game. She played songs on the electronic keyboard and experimented with the sounds and tempos. She consented to have Pooh treated by Dr. Amy. She built a house out of a cardboard box and cushions, and decorated it with her wire-and-ball game, Kitty-chan and the electronic keyboard. She danced to Blondie. She played on the swing.

Best of all they played with each other - running around giggling and chasing and tickling each other. They have not fought yet today. Hope every day off is like today!