Geeking out with toddlers
If you haven't guessed, today had a suckfactor of about 7.8. It didn't improve, really, only didn't get momumentally worse.
Then I went for my Thursday night volunteer funfest. For those who don't know, I spend every Thursday night at the Children's Center at SafePlace, Austin's domestic violence shelter and resource center. It is the awesomest place in the world, once you take into account why it exists, which is the exact opposite of awesome. While moms are in group therapy, their kids hang out with us, play, have group of their own. Basically our purpose is to provide positive adult interaction and reinforcement, affection and attention. I lead the toddler group. I love toddlers. I do not get stressed, or freaked. The chaos doesn't throw me at all. I love the challenge, in fact. Sometimes it gets hectic when I have 3 two year-olds who only speak Spanish, but we make do. I love it. Have I said that? I can't say it enough.
Tonight I had an interesting mix of English and Spanish speakers between the ages of two and four. I try to get them to play together so I can interact with all of them, but if one truly wants to go off and do his own thing, I let it happen. We try to put toys away before taking out something new and they're pretty cool with that. So we put away the farm animals and barn and pull out another tub filled to the brim with Star Wars action figures. And I, geek that I am, squeal like a 30 year-old fanboy.
"Who's this, Miss Diana?"
"That's Chewbacca. He doesn't talk, but he makes cool noises. Look! Here's his friend Han!"
"Is he a bad guy?"
"No he's the best guy."
"Who's that?"
"That's Admiral Ackbar!"
"I don't like him."
"But...but Admiral Ackbar is a good guy!"
"His face is funny."
"We...we don't pay attention to that. It's how a person acts and treats other people that's important."
"But I don't like him."
"But...Admiral Ackbar-"
"Who's this?"
*sigh* "Jar Jar Binks."
Then we colored pumpkins and had candy. All in all, a good night.
Oh! I came home to a Halloween card from aeniron! How awesome is that? It is made of all of it. There is none left for the night, apparently, because I have to go clean now.
Then I went for my Thursday night volunteer funfest. For those who don't know, I spend every Thursday night at the Children's Center at SafePlace, Austin's domestic violence shelter and resource center. It is the awesomest place in the world, once you take into account why it exists, which is the exact opposite of awesome. While moms are in group therapy, their kids hang out with us, play, have group of their own. Basically our purpose is to provide positive adult interaction and reinforcement, affection and attention. I lead the toddler group. I love toddlers. I do not get stressed, or freaked. The chaos doesn't throw me at all. I love the challenge, in fact. Sometimes it gets hectic when I have 3 two year-olds who only speak Spanish, but we make do. I love it. Have I said that? I can't say it enough.
Tonight I had an interesting mix of English and Spanish speakers between the ages of two and four. I try to get them to play together so I can interact with all of them, but if one truly wants to go off and do his own thing, I let it happen. We try to put toys away before taking out something new and they're pretty cool with that. So we put away the farm animals and barn and pull out another tub filled to the brim with Star Wars action figures. And I, geek that I am, squeal like a 30 year-old fanboy.
"Who's this, Miss Diana?"
"That's Chewbacca. He doesn't talk, but he makes cool noises. Look! Here's his friend Han!"
"Is he a bad guy?"
"No he's the best guy."
"Who's that?"
"That's Admiral Ackbar!"
"I don't like him."
"But...but Admiral Ackbar is a good guy!"
"His face is funny."
"We...we don't pay attention to that. It's how a person acts and treats other people that's important."
"But I don't like him."
"But...Admiral Ackbar-"
"Who's this?"
*sigh* "Jar Jar Binks."
Then we colored pumpkins and had candy. All in all, a good night.
Oh! I came home to a Halloween card from aeniron! How awesome is that? It is made of all of it. There is none left for the night, apparently, because I have to go clean now.