So, this morning I did what many parents probably did -- I searched on the internet for ways to keep my kids busy on a hot summer day. There are lots of ideas but many I just don't want to do. They sound too exhausting. Here's my list of things I don't want to do with my two youngest kids (but maybe they will give you some ideas if you still have that desire to entertain your children). Caution before you read -- I am a bit cynical this morning and probably not in a very good mood:
1. Play a board game, especially the traditional Monoply game so that it lasts all day.
2. Organize a water balloon fight and invite three dozen children over who you will get to entertain for hours after the water balloon toss is over in five minutes.
3. Lead them in craft making. Then of course once it is over they disappear and you are left with some junky stuff and a mess to clean.
4. Teach them to embroider. In my home this would mean my youngest would figure out how to use the needle as a weapon and my other child would mortally wound himself with the needle by sticking it up his nose or poking his eye out because it seems like a good idea at the time.
5. Make a sundial together by sticking a stick in the ground and watching the shadow the sun makes. This has potential but I am pretty sure I would hear, "This is boring" after about two minutes. And it might be me saying it.
6. Take them to a museum. Hmmmm, this really doesn't work with children (well, some children -- just not mine).
7. Bake together. Who wants to heat up their kitchen?
I guess the problem of all these is that they need me to expend a bunch of energy to get them to work. So, here is my list of ways to keep children busy on a hot summer day (unfortunately none of them work for my family but maybe they will work for yours):
1. Send them to grandma's house and forget to pick them up.
2. Have them clean the entire house while you take a nap.
3. Play the invisible, silent game all day.
4. Send them to camp till school starts.
5. Have them train for a marathon (without your help).
6. Have them count leaves on every tree in the yard (I could tell my kids to do this but they wouldn't).
I guess I have nothing else. Thank you God You are the same yesterday, today and forever and You never get grumpy or short-tempered or cynical. I am so glad God is not like me. That verse is found in Hebrews 13 by the way if you want to look it up (the one about God being the same forever). Maybe I'll try the leaf counting idea and tell my kids it is a science project.