Four square

The other day, a friend asked me if I knew the game four square and I figured it must be an upstate thing or something because I had never heard of it. Today, while visiting with my dad, I asked him. "You're old," I said, "maybe you've heard of this game." Not four square, said the old man, it's box ball. Oooohhhh, now I get it. Box ball. So he and my sister started arguing about the physics of the game and the proper strategies and how to get your opponent out and, well, who cares? My oldest told them that's not how you play the game at all! You have a square with four numbered squares inside it and people stand on the numbers and take turns bouncing the ball to each other. Huh? That sounds super boring and nothing like the kinds of game the kids I know play at recess! My dad did know what Wall Ball is, even though I had just heard of it recently. Apparently, it's like handball. I don't know why they don't just call it handball. One kid was explaining it to me and I thought it sounded like Butts Up - the game where if you miss the ball, you have to run to the wall before someone pegs you with the ball. Ouch, right? The kid didn't think that sounded like a very fun game. It's a lot more fun when you're the one throwing the ball and a lot less fun when you're getting pegged! How about Flys Up, dad asked, when you throw the ball against the curb and.... um, dad, there are no curbs around here. And, come to think of it, I don't think I've seen a stickball game in at least a decade. What's going on? Since when did wall ball become the game of choice? I've got to get myself over to school at recess one day and see what the deal is. All these kids with soccer balls and skateboards and lacrosse sticks. This is not what I am used to. When I was a kid, we didn't even have grass at our school - we played on the blacktop. I guess it made us more creative. Back then, kids played basketball or dodge ball. We've got to get dodge ball back. Kids need that in their lives, don't they? I just bought my girls a Chinese jump rope. And I'm going to go outside and teach them to clap to Rockin' Robin. My oldest can jump double dutch and the little one digs hopscotch. I'm getting the urban into them little by little.

Summer's coming

The idea of summer just scares me! Tomorrow is the little one's last day of preschool and then she will start big-kid school in September (my sadness about that is a whole other topic!) Yesterday, the girls and I were talking about summer. When I remind the oldest that all her friends will be in gymnastics camp, she doesn't care - she won't go. So, I ask her what she plans to do every day. Go in the pool, call my friends, watch TV. Um, no. TV? No, sorry, you won't spend the day watching TV and talking on the phone. You will be outside playing sister! I'm gonna pull the "back in my day" card on that one. Don't you remember summer? You would wake up and run out the door in the morning and not come home until dinnertime. Then, you couldn't wait to go back out and play until the street lights came on. What happened to that? Do kids still do that in city settings? Is that I live too far away from the next closest kid's house? My kids need to be outside. Even if they're bored. They need to be laying in the grass and watching an ant carry a bread crumb. They need to build a clubhouse. They need to get excited when they hear the ice cream truck. It can't always be about going somewhere or being with someone else or doing something that requires packing up the car and spending a ton of dough. I hope they can find some adventure in the backyard.

I feel pretty?

Tonight, my little one was hopping into bed when she spied a picture of me. I don't know why I have it. The photo is from college and the girls took it from my mom. Anyway, she says "Mom, I didn't know you were so pretty in college." What do you mean, I asked my little girl as we snuggled into bed. Well, your hair was curly and you were wearing makeup. Do I look like that now? No, she says, your hair is very different. Can't explain the concept of a perm to a four-year-old. Well, do you think I'm pretty now? Sometimes, she says, because you have earrings. Would I be pretty if I didn't wear earrings? Yes, because sometimes you wear makeup. Would I be pretty if I didn't wear makeup? Maybe. She didn't say it with much conviction. Apparently, the more I gussy up (yes, I just said gussy), the prettier my girls think I am. I guess it's because they don't see it every day. I wonder if I should go out of my way to get dolled up every day. Should I do my hair and makeup and put on jewelry and nice cloths every day? Or should I just be me and continue to wear regular old clothes and wear my hair however it falls? Am I teaching my children to not care about looks? Oh, I hope so! I don't think my daughters have ever once seen me wear high heels. If they think getting dressed up means wearing earrings, maybe I should try a bit harder once in a while. I know they rave when I wear perfume, so I could do that this week. That will be my fancy!