a hint of things to come...

One of the things I've been enjoying about hanging out in playgrounds (odd, but I seem to have been doing quite a bit of that lately...), is listening in on the conversations between the kids. As an adult, I'm completely invisible to them and can sit quietly by and eavesdrop. (Ok, ok, it's one of my favourite things to do anyway, be the conversationalists 5 or 55, but with the 5 yr olds I don't even have to pretend to have lost my car keys, or be blind or any of my usual stunts.)

This morning Frieda and I visited Deer Park in the City Bowl - they've got such cool stuff - and I overheard this little gem, which gave me a heads up of what may be coming down the line. Of all the things I'd already thought of that Frieda may have to deal with in play-parks in the future, this one hadn't occurred to me yet...

Three 5/6/7/whatever yr old girls, clearly recently befriended (how refreshing to use that word in a non-facebook sense), around the swings; one girl says to the others: "Does your mother read to you from the bible every day?". Blank looks from the other two. One of them: "No, why would she?" (titter from me). First girl; "You must ask her to read you the bible every day so you can learn to love Jesus." Third girl, until now silent; "Let's go on the roundabout!" and runs off. Second one follows quickly, Bible Girl brings up the rear a little slower.

I glance over at Frieda, busy chasing pine cones (ja I know, they don't move, but she hadn't figured that out yet), and feel a little overwhelmed by all that she (and, by proxy, I) will encounter in the near future. Lord (if you are out there after all), give me strength and wisdom to guide her through this complex life. Oh, and a whole sackful for her father too please, 'cos he ain't getting away with leaving this stuff up to me!

Anyhoo, the park was lovely - life lessons aside -

this reminded me that somewhere in the shed I have a whole bag of bottle tops I collected while pregnant to make just such strings, I'll have to dig them out and give it a bash,

and this is just too clever.