The Dutch have *many* weather words… Motregen is one. It’s not quite rain, but it’s thicker than mist. It doesn’t look too bad, but it gets you soaked really fast. I’m normally quite firmly in the “No bad weather; only the wrong clothes” camp (I should read that book everyone’s been talking about). However. Motregen + strong headwind on the bike definitely counts as bad weather. It was miserable. Instead of my planned park outing we decided to go home and have hot chocolate and wait for the weather to change. It didn’t.
We don’t do a ton of screen time with the kids, but short inspiring videos can really feed their imagination. We watched this short documentary on a traditional bread baker and Sirocco was enthralled. Of course, as soon as it was over he wanted to watch more, of anything. But if I’ve learnt one thing in the last few years of mothering it’s how to redirect attention! “How about we pull out the play dough and YOU can be a baker!” He was sold. Both kids rushed to the play kitchen and pulled out play dough, rolling pins, cookie cutter, plastic knives and carefully brought them back to the table. I brought out some extra flour for extra realism (and partly because of slightly sticky play dough – cream of tartar is not the same here I think…)
Mistral went straight to her usual game of bashing the dough with her hands and rolling pin with loud exclamations, but Sirocco tried some new things. His play reflected the attention he paid. Trying a new role, imitating the careful motions he had seen. Still-chubby small hands trying to move like the rough but skillful ones he’d watched a few minutes ago. Furrowed brows as he selected from his little tools the one that most reminded him of what he had seen. Observing. Learning. And of course commenting…
“Maman. That is NOT how we make bread at home!” But maybe it will be how he does, someday.
Love,
Belligerence&Chocolate
Belligerence & Chocolate 