Happy Children's Day 2014

Thursday, November 20th, 2014

We struggled to get out of the house yesterday.  It was a grey, cold and really windy day and Felicity was not interested in leaving home.  She often isn't but that doesn't mean she won't enjoy it when she is out.  Plus Crystal was working at home and needed some peace.  I'm constantly thinking once for myself then once more as if I was a 2 year old with limited space-time perception and even less pre-frontal cortex emotional control.  Fortunately I give the little man zero autonomy so he just does what he's told.

We did get out and they both promptly fell asleep in the car so I filled up with gas (petrol) and then drove around for about an hour.  Finally they woke up and we went to the farm.  I think there were about 5 other people in the whole place.  They got to pet the bunnies and then we went to the new Learning Centre.  I've been wanting to go in for a while, only slightly put off by the History of Food Preservation special exhibition.  I shouldn't have been - it's really good.  But before you get to the exhibition hall there is a toy kitchen which just happens to be the number one favourite distraction for these two.  I think this is a good sign - I love the kitchen.  And look at this moment of sibling cooperation.  Beautiful.

I don't think that a description of the History of Food Preservation exhibition would be interesting but it was nicely done and now I know how they stored potatoes two hundred years ago and I have a better idea of just how much of our food is irradiated to kill bugs etc.

Snack time.  Smile!

And onto today.  I put in a big push for my bid to get Dad of the year award (stay at home category, Black Friars Road division - I'm the only entrant).  While Toby had his first nap I did painting with Felicity, then baked scones with her in preparation for our friends Catherine and baby Isaac coming round.  We took them to the library and then I pushed Felicity on the swing at the park while Toby had his second nap in the stroller (push chair).  I even remembered to feed them and change Toby's diaper several times.  I am now undoing all the good work by staring at the laptop while they play.  That's technically unstructured play and is essential for proper cognitive development in the areas of creativity and problem solving and a wonderful catch all justification for lazy parents and kindergarten teachers all over.  Just look how engrossed Toby is in the broom.  This guy is going to be a brain surgeon clearly...

Crystal took them to Nepean HS for a basketball game.  Toby was the star player:

Every day my brain fires constantly.  Most of the traffic is white noise, the sort of un-useful chatter that leads to restlessness, bouts of despondency and ultimately is largely a waste of energy.  If I wrote it all down I'd quickly have enough for a book but it would be an arduous read.  Correction: it would be unreadable!  I try to capture some of the more interesting thoughts in this blog.  Here are a couple of things that I have learnt.

Things are ongoing.  You don't find the solution and that's it.  You keep working at it.  So when I think things are going well I know that something may change.  I may change, my mood, my feelings.  The kids may change.  In fact they will change.  Constant feedback loop: review, change, do, review, change, do.  This is a better approach than forever trying to change something permanently.

Another thing: a few things I know I like.  It's been nearing 37 years so I think I can make some statements about things I like and will more than likely like forever.  I like cooking, physical activity outdoors (the criteria are natural elements plus exertive use of my body), wine, socialising with people who I like (last two should be combined), reading novels, hot showers, warm beds, uh-oh I'm starting to sound like a human.  I like radio.  I nearly forgot English beer, shame on me.

These last two paragraphs are contradictory but the point has been lost on me between writing them and now because my brain was given a hot rinse by an hour and a half of cleaning the kitchen and doing laundry.  Oh well.