I know Spring is officially here but today really felt like the real deal. The sun was warm and the sky was blue. To celebrate, the kids and I went shopping for butterfly nets. Yes, I know there aren't any butterflies yet. At least not in rural Nova Scotia but it really doesn't matter to the kids. They're outside right now, in what the day has left to offer, running around and catching imaginary butterflies. Or hunting small dragons. The former is more likely.
I bought the butterfly nets with dangerous visions in my head. As I reached for them I was actually thinking, "These will be fantastic to carry around on regular nature walks!" Worse, the vision in my head was of us gloriously marching through a field with nets, notebooks and sketchpads in some Charlotte Mason fantasy. Nothing against Charlotte Mason or those who follow her methods you understand. It's just that I'm finally realizing I pick up too much stuff with some grand intent that never gets followed through on.
There are shelves of stuff I picked up with grand intentions. This board game would help Catherine with multiplication, these blocks with fractions. I'll inspire Harry's creativity with this building kit and oh my, wait until we all have wonderful and warm family time building that wooden village set.
The truth of it is that about half collects dust. Another large chunk gets used in plays and in ways I didn't foresee and a very small portion gets used as intended. For a little while.
Not that this realization will stop me of course. I did get the butterfly nets after all.
1 comment:
My kids still get a great deal out of cardboard boxes...It's almost like the more simple a thing is, the more they can bring to it and create something out of it. Your kids, like mine, see far beyond the intended use for things, so sometimes they don't ever get around to that.
I think that's OK. I think it's great actually--my kids are very creative and I think that will serve them well in all areas of their lives.
On the other hand, I do know what you mean. The wooden village would be cool wouldn't it? *sigh*
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