fun moms

On being a fun mom:

When I'm a fun mom, the kids get to do cool stuff. Like play with water. Or paint. Or scoop rice. They have a blast. They are doing great things that are developmentally good for them. I don't go all free reign with them, but I do hold back the war cry of "Mess!" some.

There is nothing that either my 19mo or my 4 1/2 yo loves more than to play with a trickle of water in the sink. Pouring, filling, stirring. Great activities for the 18mo developing motor skills. When I'm a fun mom, I let him do it, and then mop up later, suppressing the urge to cringe and enjoying his happiness.

The other day Ellis spent nearly 20 minutes moving about 15 popcorn kernels around an empty egg carton that had some leftover liquid purple watercolor in it.

The busy-ness! The happiness! The learning! *sigh* The mess!