We took the kids out for a walk in a nearby meadow today. Several square miles of open land with no roads, and very few people. We encouraged them to explore, do their own thing, and afforded them the major thing they have not had - freedom. We thought it might be interesting to see how each one reacted.
While wandering through the woods we gave each child a bag, and got them to pick up “interesting things”. This turned into a glue and glitter fest when we returned home. Our dinner table will never recover, and will glitter in the moonlight forever more.
We are continually amazed at the progress of the eldest. She has quickly become this wonderful, increasingly brave little girl - she is flowering into something the social workers never saw. While fetching shopping first thing today she walked into town with me and didn’t stop talking the whole way there or back. This afternoon in the woods she ran riot, roared like a bear, and led her band of siblings like a little general. This is the same child we worried might disappear inside herself.
The middle one is being the typical four year old. Everything is too difficult (even the toggles on her cardigan) - a crafty trick to find out how much we will help. While out in the woods, steep slopes caused “can’t do it- they have lost a great deal of spirit and confidence. They are unwilling to dive into things - but they are getting better. Hopefully they will realise we are always behind them, and always ready to pick them up when they really are hurt.
The youngest is turning out to be the easiest. She is care free, easy going, and spends 90% of the time away with the fairies. Over the days her attempts to gain our attention are growing. We are continually summoned to be told when the cat is in the room. We are summoned to be told when the cat has left the room. When he’s eating his dinner, when he’s left his dinner… you get the idea.
After yesterday’s food dramas, today the children started to catch on that home cooked food is very different (read: better) than the supermarket ready meals they have been used to thus far. W made spaghetti bolognese from scratch, and involved the eldest in making it… and a little girl who hated mushrooms suddenly discovered they didn’t taste anything like any she had eaten before.
Best moment of the day was following dinner, when the kids discovered that “we’re only having fruit for pudding” wasn’t the whole truth - and angel delight with sliced bananas appeared from the kitchen… the gasps and saucer-like eyes were a wonder to behold.