A Decision to Play

Weekly Update - July 1, 2022

Last week was my week with the kids. On Wednesday, Justin and I went to the Museum of Life and Science. We came home and had lunch. Then he went down for quiet time. After quiet time I did what I usually do and asked him to clean his room - which is inevitably wrecked during his time alone.

The cleaning up of his room after quiet time is not as simple as it sounds. A job that should take 5 or 10 minutes (pick up and put away toys, put books on shelf and blankets back on bed) can take as long as an hour. Justin re-engages his imagination, gets distracted by toys and books, finds new things to play with, and generally takes forever to clean up.

Normally, I am fairly patient about the whole thing. I have learned that this is just his process. Especially during the summer, it takes as long as it takes. Some days, however, I have to be more directive. 

On Wednesday, we had somewhere to be. Elizabeth has a job now. Yes, our extremely anxious, introverted child has a job. At the mall. Working retail. I know. We were shocked too. She had to be at the mall for work. So the room needed to be clean. So I pushed. I cajoled. I reminded.

At one point, it got quiet for a few minutes (a telltale sign of distraction). I asked Justin how it was coming, and if he was still cleaning. He was honest and said no. I asked him why not.

"There are so many things to do," he said, "and I am all by myself. So I decided to play."