Time Shared is Time Halved

Days with children can be a challenge for parents or caregivers to find something new, interesting and stimulating for the child or children to do.  It might sound like fun to stay home and not have to go to work, but having one or more small children who have a need to be mentally engaged when you have the same toys as you did yesterday can be draining on any parent.

We try to find interesting things to do like different parks.  The variety of configurations of each park, even if the overall offerings are similar (climbing structure, swings, slides, sand, etc.) is still interesting and different.  Couple that with different children playing and your youngsters can be entertained far longer than they would be at home. 

So we spend time as moms and dads and caregivers coming up with how to make the days exciting and different than the days before.  My neighbor and I have a text message standing request: she lets me know if her children are outside and I let her know if mine are.  We let each other know if we're planning on going to the pool or other activity that might be fun that the others could join in.

We've done impromptu finger panting on the picnic table, water art on the driveway, lots and lots of swinging at each others swing set, pool dates and indoors play time together.  Two days ago our paths crossed in just the right way: I saw her getting ready and she mentioned they were going to the park at the airport observation tower.   There's a large sand area and the children can watch the planes take off and land.  I immediately invited us along, "can we join you?"  She said, "absolutely!"

It's still the same parent to child ratio, but the parents have someone to talk to and the children have people to play with.  That afternoon, we went over to our neighbor's house to play in their play room and time flew by just like it had that morning. 

Suddenly, it was almost dinner time and the day seemed to have gone by twice as fast as normal.  She and I agreed that time shared is time halved when it comes to children.

The Big Boy Update:  "I'm trying to hold my pee," he told me while he danced at the table eating his food.  He had woken up from his nap and was very hungry.  We took a break from the food to make it to the potty and he made it without an accident.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  iPad.  She says iPad in the cutest, tiniest little voice.  She is almost skilled enough to know how to pick the apps she wants and use them correctly.  Although, there's an good chance she's playing with it upside down instead of right side up.

Fitness Update:  Twelve miles training for the marathon.  We started at 5:15am and Uncle Jonathan joined us.  We had fun talking and running in the dark until it got light and we could enter the park.  It's always nice to be able to talk and laugh together when running.  I think it's one of the reasons I enjoy it so much.