Quality Time

Instead of the usual summer afternoon downpour, we woke up to a dreary rain that had its claims on the day. G and I managed to squeeze under an umbrella to keep to the Thursday morning "girls breakfast out routine." (It was worth leaving home just to parade my proud girl down the street in her screaming red ladybug raincoat.) After breakfast, we killed some time at the "soupy" (supermarket). But how long can you examine bananas? So we were homeward bound with cabin fever--even if Georgia insisted, "No. home." We had (I said), "No. Choice." (She didn't much like the expression).

And since I am a stickler for routines (and mine includes spending the first half of the day with my daughter), I wanted to come up with a new "quality-time activity." In other words no feigning playing while half working--with the TV (that purple guy show) in the background. So I went to my art supply box and found some clay. The colors gleamed through the grey day and it had glitter!

The 2 Reais box ($1) was the longest and cheapest entertainment ticket in town--a whole hour and a half. Who said that a nearly two year old is too young to grasp the concept of the colorful dough? I did warn her not to eat it after she licked it once. (It looks a lot like my colored balls of edible fondant.) But she was way too busy instructing me to taste test, "mushroom, rainbow, boot, duck, snowman, Captain America..."

I'm not sure who had more fun. Having children reawakens dormant creativity. I now spend time writing on chalkboards, playing with clay, doodling on napkins in restaurants, building sand castles. I sing. And I look at the animals on Old McDonald's farm with a new anatomic curiosity. (I want to draw them better.) And the best part? No matter how bad your clay version of Santa is, your child will think it looks exactly like him.

And you'll feel like a museum quality artist.