Play Day

Yesterday was Play Day at school for the girls. Instead of having the traditional Track and Field Day the kids instead participate in Play Day which involves a variety of games that the kids compete at. Some games are individual games and others require more teamwork. The kids are divided into teams for the day and have to learn how to work together as a team - helping each other out, cheering each other on, etc. At each event they earn points as a team based on how they do and at the end of the day the team with the most points wins. All in all it's just a day of fun and games.

We couldn't have asked for better weather this year. It was a beautiful sunny day at around 22C with a bit of a cool wind - lovely! I had hoped to spend the morning watching the girls, but unfortunately Matthew didn't agree with my schedule as he was not the most cooperative and since he woke up early by 11am he was asking for his bottle (not an unusual request from him, but usually he does not ask when we're out having "fun") and was ready for bed. But I did get some pics of the time that I was there to watch.


Marietta at the basketball throw (they get points for getting it in the regular net or through the hoola-hoop that is hanging vertical off the net) and the sack race (points for how far they can jump in a certain time period).













Marietta at the soccer challenge (there is a snowman drawn on the wall and if they kick the ball into one of the snowmans circles then they get points -the higher they kick it, the more points)














Rebecca at the hockey challenge (a board is placed across the hockey net with various holes in it and they various score points if they get it through the holes) and the baseball challenge (score points depending on how far they throw).

Rebecca enjoying her snack.

Yes you are seeing it right ... Matthew is indeed attached to a "leash" ... a skipping rope to be more percise. Matthew is a "runner" and I am NOT a runner ... I am actually quite tired of running after him. Matthew only lasts a short time in the stroller and then he's crying and screaming to come out ... and driving me and everyone else batty. He will not cooperate when it comes to holding your hand and I simply cannot hold him wiggling and squirming for long periods of time (nor even short periods as he's persistant), nor will he just be a good child like my others and stay in the general area of where I am without getting in the way. Instead he is always running off, in a defiant way ... he runs way out there and the minute I call him he looks at me, grins and takes off even faster .... now he's got a head start on me! Rob says I need to be firmer ... but Rob's firmness so far has not stopped him from making a beeline for the road at home all the time ... he simply is a troublemaker!

I had been thinking I was going to have to see if I could find myself one of those harnesses or wrist band things that people use ... but I figured he'd managed to get the wristband off (which someone confirmed that indeed there child figured that out pretty quickly) and the I couldn't find a harness but only a knapsack style one and this also I figured he would be able to get out of. So as we were leaving the driveway I seen the skipping rope hanging there ... and a light went on ... either I run after him the whole time or I put him on a leash. So I ran the rope through his belt loops, knotted it a few times and we were all set. Well actually I started off with the stroller, but as I figured that hardly lasted 10 minutes and he was wiggling, squirming and crying to be let out.

While many thought this was a brilliant idea and told me stories of what they had tried with their "Runners" I must point out that Matthew was not the least bit thrilled with my idea. Here I was giving him freedom but keeping him safe ... yet he did not appreciate it. He wanted to run and he wanted to run further then the length I was providing him. And so he insisted on trying over and over ... running to the end of his length then falling because it stopped all of a sudden ... laying on the ground crying because he wanted to go ... and as soon as he felt a bit of slack on the rope because I moved he'd get up and try it all over again. He simply cannot be content with just wandering around and watching what's going on - those little legs must be going full tilt at all times.

At one point he noticed the park next to the school and this really set him off on trying to run, falling, crying, having a fit, trying again ... receiving pity from some of the kids, etc. But I insisted he had to wait until the girls were done with their current event and then he could play. He thoroughly enjoyed this freedom ... even so much that I was able to get him back in the stroller afterwards ... probably because by that time he was asking for his bottle and needed a nap ... so we headed home. I had hoped to stay longer, but at least I had kept Matthew from running through the games and getting in the way ... hopefully better luck next year.