Free play

I often babysit a two year old and a five year old girl while their parents are out of town.  I took them to the park yesterday after school. There were a lot of other kids there of all different ages so I was watching careful to make sure my little ones were safe.  At the same time, I was conscious of trying to allow them to socialise naturally with the other kids.  It was a terrifying experience.  It started out fine, playing on the playground, mostly sticking together.  Up and down the slide.  A little bit frustrating when Miss Two Year Old couldn't get up the steep slide, but okay with a little bit of help from me.  They were soon trying to play with the other kids.  Before I knew it, there were at least ten of them all congregating together where the other mums and sitters couldn't see.  I guess my teaching has trained me to step in when I have a problem with something.  Like sticks and stones.  Rather, these were big sticks and big stones.  I only lasted about two minutes before: it's time to go girls! No.  Yup, time to go, come on. As I scooped down to pick up Miss Two Year Old, I teachered it up: Are you guys being careful?  Those sticks and stones could really hurt somebody, be careful with them. I wasn't all that teachery because I would've separated the children from the weapons.  I've learnt you only have so much authority out of school grounds.  I was secretly glad I wasn't on duty at school and could take my charges and drive away.  

An afternoon at the pool

I spent an afternoon at the pool with the munchkins yesterday.  Their parents had been offered an afternoon on the lake and they couldn't turn it down in this drought weather so I was on duty.  It was pretty fun, watching the girls gain confidence with their swimming teachers.  And to have an excuse not to be reading or trying to write academic type literature.

I had a little I'm in America moment while I was there.  All the life guards were in matching red bikinis and swim shorts.  The baby swim class sang "If you're happy and you know it" in American accents with American lyrics.  Only slightly different from our own, but different all the same.  

Unfortunately, sun and water makes for tired little girls and there were a few tears over dinner. 

I never knew what I was missing

We have been really lucky: we have had beautifully warm, t-shirt and shorts type weather for the passed couple of weeks.  This week, fall came for real!  Suddenly there were leaves everywhere.  I was on pick up duty for a couple of tykes I look after which meant I had the privilege of driving around and really seeing the full glory.  

I have never seen so much colour.  One tree can be a rainbow in itself. Not just the oranges and browns I imagined but a whole display of pinks, yellows, reds and every green in between.  I can't believe how beautiful it is.  People and books have described it to me.  Baltimore also had a bit of this glory they call fall (but sooo much concrete in between).  Now I know why we only ever call it Autumn in Auckland, NZ.  Of course, I taught said tykes to look for the largest bundle of leaves and walk through it, enjoying the swish swish rustle beneath our feet. It took us f-or-ev-a to get to the car.