Thursday, November 30, 2006

Play time!

I took advantage of our flexi-time system at work today to take a long lunch hour and join Hayley and Oliver at a play group they regularly attend.

It was great fun, if a bit scary. There he was toddling around with much bigger kids racing around on tricycles and tractors and occasionally bumping into him or dispossessing him of whatever toy he had at the time. But let's not paint a one-sided picture. The first thing Oliver did was head for his favourite car to sit in it and opened the door to invite its current occupant, a little girl about his age, to leave. When she didn't he simply attempted to get in along side her. He tried this three times and each time I stopped him. Eventually she took the hint and left him to his vehicle. Boys love their cars I guess.

I also experienced something very unfamiliar to me: he wanted to be picked up by someone other than me! Normally when I am around he wants to be with me and everyone else comes second. Of course that's lovely for me, but it's quite tough on Hayley who, after looking after him all day, finds her self rejected the moment I walk through the door! But today it was my turn. I put my arms out to him and he raced towards me before.... veering off right past me to Linda who runs the group. He adores her. He even chooses to sit with her for the activities they do there leaving poor Hayley alone or helping another child.

Despite this I did get plenty of time with him playing with toys and on the big slide. It was a lovely way to spend an hour in the middle of a hectic day. I'm very lucky that I can live near my place of work and get to pop out occasionally like that.