WWMSD?
So what’s the favorite show at your house? Is it a kid show or a grown up show? Well the most beloved show at the Little Yellow House happens to be a kid show. About bugs. Lots of bugs. Don’t advertise this too loudly, but I happen to really like this show, maybe even more than the kids do.
Miss Spider’s Sunny Patch Friends is a cartoon adaption of the children’s books written by David Kirk. Episodes chronicle the daily adventures, lessons, pitfalls and experiences of an eternally gentle, kind-hearted Miss Spider and her family members and friends living in the land known as “Sunny Patch.”
After watching probably every episode ever made, I think that Miss Spider’s picture should be printed next to the dictionary definition of “Mom.” She is warm-hearted. She is calm, positive and nurturing. She is extremely generous and has big brown eyes. Thanks to Kristen Davis (remember Charlotte from Sex in the City?), you’ve got Miss Spider’s velvety voice in an instant.
Instead of eating other insects like most Spiders, she serves vegetarian meals for her family. This is a Momma who does Tai Chi. She goes out on dates with her husband, Holley. This is one cool yellow arachnid and I simply adore her.
For Miss Spider, motherhood is what she does best. She works at keeping the balance between nurturing her children and disciplining them all the while making it look easy. She is a peacemaker, but she’s not a push-over either. She uses incentive charts. She orders her bickering children to the “stump” where they have to stay until they work out their differences. She also admits her mistakes and takes corrective action. She is kindness in motion.
It’s odd to admit this, but there are times when Miss Spider pops into my head during the day. Her voice and demeanor calm me when I watch the show and in turn, I diligently try to emulate that calmness for my children.
And that’s when I remember that Miss Spider has 8 legs, that her husband is available at all hours of the day, that she has a friendly downstairs neighbor who is eager to bug-sit at a moment’s notice. Oh, and that she’s a cartoon character who doesn’t have bills to pay or grocery shopping to do. Of course she can be calm and organized all day long!
Yes, my challenges are greater. However, I can still remember how Miss Spider’s voice sounds and the way that she looks upon her fictitious children. I might even stop to think, “What would Miss Spider do?” I know she’s a cartoon character, but the fact is I feel good watching Miss Spider mother her children. I like the calm that she brings to every situation – even fires. The organization that that calmness provides serves as a foundation to everything – from emotional regulation to problem solving.
I like Miss Spider’s character and the way she spins peace into every interaction she has. Like so many of us hard at work parenting our own children, I strive to weave peace into our own daily story here at the Little Yellow House.
Little yellow spiders are always welcome here.
Photo source: Courtesy:
http://wallpapers.free-review.net/18__Miss_Spider.htm
Come Play with Me!
Last night at supper, I pretended that I was a turkey guarding the salad bowl. Yes, readers, it’s true. Elf and Giant had a raucous time trying to steal and eat all of the salad. Even Hubby got into the action, trying to distract me away from my hearty, vigilant yet bungled efforts to keep the salad – tomatoes named Rudies and mixed greens named Gertrudes and Phyllis-es – in the bowl. My guardian attempts failed. If it was possible to lick it clean, they would have, laughing and giggling the entire time.
Today, Giant’s and my salamanders were busy saving Mr. Bobo – the Lego man – from hammer head sharks. We chased each other all over the house and had a “flippin’” good time. (Couldn’t help that one from jumping in there, sorry.)
Oh, and by the way, Elf and Giant are NOT allowed to smile in the car. Only serious children are allowed in our car.
What is going on at The Little Yellow House?
Hubby’s on vacation and we’re not traveling. We’re relaxed and we’re hard at work playing.
Hubby and I are big proponents of playing with our kids. Not everyone is, however. Some folks believe that adults playing with their kids robs children of their creativity. They believe that when we play with our children, our children see us as their friends rather than the authority figures parents should be.
We believe the opposite: that play is children’s way of communicating and working through the issues and situations they confront every day. Play helps children make sense of the world. If we choose not to be their guides, peers, television and a media-saturated culture will fill the void.
No, it’s not always fun and sometimes we’re pretty darn tired. On those days, I lay on the floor. The kids pretend they’re doctors and cover me with band aids while I dramatically moan and groan in mock discomfort.
And that’s when I hear the giggles and see the glimmer in their eyes. Then I know I’m on the right path and then I groan a little bit louder just to get them to giggle again.
So let the nay-sayers say what they will. Even if the benefit of playing with the kids is only to reaffirm our commitment to them, then that’s good enough for Hubby and me.
To my beloved play partners – Hubby, Elf, Giant – thanks for a terrific week!
Photo source: http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/pl5.shtml
Changing Gears: Our Morning Bike Rides
Those who read about our adventures from the home base of the Little Yellow House know that we – Giant and me – ride our bikes to and from school. As we zoom along, pretending to be rockets, Elf sits comfortably in the red, blue and yellow trailer behind my bike, holding her lovey close. At our school, we are one of a handful of families who bike to and home from school on a regular basis. We don’t do things like most folks when it comes to our caravan consisting of a kid-sized bike and a momma-sized bike and trailer following behind. Believe me, we have raised some eyebrows.
I must admit that I’ve recently been inspired by The Bike Fairy (pictured), the happy-go-lucky bike-loving sprite who doled out trinkets to kiddos who rode their bikes to school this spring in Seattle, but I just can’t seem able to get my Technicolor wardrobe organized in the dark hours of the morning. Shorts, a clean T-shirt and a baseball cap will have to do. And even without all of the neon, we still get noticed.
I don’t naturally love cycling or most things that make me sweat. However, while it’s good for the heart and body to peddle those miles away, I’ve also come to see a rather lovely side of cycling – getting to know the folks and animals who live and play in our neighborhood. Some of our experiences and encounters are funny, others quite touching.
Recently one of our neighbors called out to us as we headed down the road, “There goes the “Healthy Bus!” Another likes to tease Elf about getting to ride in her chariot. And recently we encountered a new family at the local pool who already refer to me as “The Bike Lady.” Who knew? Me, a local celebrity. Errr…maybe they know me because they see me huffing and puffing up the final hill homeward towing Elf in the trailer? I think I’ll take the former rather than later explanation to preserve my dignity.
We’ve been at it a year already and have met some lovely folks and pets. Let me tell you about some of our experiences and introduce you to some of our new friends*:
…There’s the day we moved a baby box turtle out of the roadway and the day we were fortunate enough to see six deer relaxing by a stream, hidden by mid-afternoon shadows.
…Mr. Duke who is always smiling and enthusiastic when he sees us coming, plastic bag in hand at the ready for his small and lively dog. In fact, Mr. Duke’s enthusiasm is simply infectious. I strive to pedal a little harder when I see him heading our way. How can you not? This is a guy who gives me a great big smile, a nod of the head and the following words of encouragement: “Wow! You’re even more amazing than the last time I saw you!”
…There’s our neighbor lady – Ms. Eleanor – who keeps track of our time for us. The other day, she noticed that we were leaving later than usual and wondered if everything was okay. That felt really good to know that someone’s looking out for us.
…Like most neighborhoods, some people in our’s follow strict morning routines. We seem to encounter several of our neighbors at the same time and same place on our journey. In fact, one of our neighbors always takes the time to step aside on the path, root Giant on with a cheerleader sized whoop and wish him a great day at school as he races by on his bike.
…Wait, there goes our friend Julia waving to us from the car as she goes off to school. “Have a great day!” she yells.
…We get friendly smiles from those we greet along the way…some of the people we chat with for a bit, others are comfortable sharing only a smile and a wave. We benefit from lots of fresh air and sunshine. Sometimes we see deer, a snake or a turtle. It’s a dose of the good stuff: the circle of connection to others and to the earth all before 8:00 a.m. I can’t think of a better way to start the day.
Hey, has anyone seen my bike? It’s time for school.
What and who’s out there in your own neighborhood, waiting to be discovered?
Photo source: http://carfreedays.com/2010/05/21/the-bike-fairy-and-bike-to-school-month/
*Names have been changed to ensure privacy.
