A few days after Raelynn made her unexpected early debut, our glider recliner got delivered. It came in a massive box. Not being new to parenting Tanner and I both agreed this box needed to stay inside as a source of entertainment for the kids.
It’s been in our house for almost two months now. Somehow still in one piece too. It’s been pulled outside and back inside, flipped, flopped and added onto with blankets. It’s been a swimming pool, a tent, a house, a doctors office, a fort, the perfect inconspicuous hiding spot, baby bed, and roller coaster.
The box has brought the girls together while also creating a great chasm amongst the girls as to which purpose it should serve. Just the other day they got all dressed up to "go to school". Carolynn was the mom, Madi had a cell phone or a tablet of some sort and Emmy got their bookbags ready. Then they all piled into the "van" and pretended to drive to school. I'm telling you boxes are amazing.
This particular box has been the very best toy since the awful karaoke machine we mistakenly gave to Carolynn for her Birthday last year. (Why do we, as parents do such things to ourselves)?
I read a blog post a few days ago about how if your kid is being a handful and you’re at a loss how to entertain them, put them outside or in water. Honestly doing both is a great way to set yourself up for a nap time success BUT what if it’s cold, what if you don’t want to have to make sure your kid doesn’t drown?
Toss them a box is what I say.
It never ceases to amaze me how their little minds will conjure up the most elaborate imaginative play with something as simple, as a box. Last week we ordered Raelynn a new car seat. The infant bucket seat we used since Carolynn was born is supposed to expire next month. At the time I picked it out, babysitting two toddlers in my teenage years was still fresh in my mind, I vividly recalled how heavy little Ryan's car seat was, so instead of selecting a seat based on safety ratings, I literally picked THE lightest one I could find and went with it. Annnnd as a result, as infants, all of the girls looked...less than safe in this seat. With Raelynn being our smallest by far, and the seat set to expire, I caved and bought a much safer seat, that is also much heavier. Ya'll it was bad, I would create a blanket roll to put around their little bodies in the seat to make it seem like there was at least some support for their head, and the seat itself didn't seem to lean them back enough so their tiny heads always fell forward. Hindsight, it definitely didn't seem safe at all. BUT in my defense it was an approved car seat, installed correctly, so don't jump down my throat ya'll!
ANYWAY, the car seat was delivered during dinner and the girls immediately begged for the box. They decided the car seat box was for Madi, a few moments later I was calling for Madi (unsure of where she ran off too), she has a habit of wanting to play big bird little bird. This is a game we started when they get to the age where they just wont sit still to eat. You know the age where taking your kids to a restaurant is impossible. Depending on your kid the age usually ranges from 1.5-3 years old. Anyway I called for "little bird" indicating to her it was time to run back to the dinning room and take a bite before heading off for another lap around the house. I heard her little voice say " I right here" and she climbed out of the car seat box to which her sisters had closed up with her in it.
I think sometimes as parents there is a pressure to get our kids all the things we wanted as kids. To give them a “better life” even if we had a pretty great one. The pressure to have them feel as though they fit in, all their friends have a tablet so we should get them one. The thing is though, the kids grow tired of all of those toys. Every last one of them. And then we end up with this collection of toys ranging in expense for a kid to complain they are “so bored” and how they “don’t have anything cool to play with”.
Sometimes less is more. A box, a cluster of boxes, some duct tape and crayons to draw designs, windows or whatever their heart desires. And when the novelty wears off? You’re out a card board box and nothing more.
At any rate, I think for Christmas we might just skip the toys and keep the boxes.
Anyone PCSing to this area anytime soon, I know a family willing to take alllllllllll the large boxes.
Comments