I see their eyes light up when others play with them, something as simple as sitting on the couch and pretending the rug below is a sea of water. Asking, what is in the water, and what are those things in the water doing?
Don't get me wrong my babies are certainly not neglected or left alone for hours on end. But, I find myself being a passive playmate, usually thinking of something else. What I need to do is start living in the here and now, wiping my brain of the twelve thousand other things I think should be doing and play with them.
I need to help them, especially Elise, to use her vivid imagination - because she certainly has one. I need to create fantasy lands, and play roles, and encourage creativity. I also really need to start working with Elise on her colours before I convince myself that she is colour blind.
I need to show them that they are more important than social networking sites, cleaning, cooking or any of the other things I feel I need to do in the run of the day - and I am not saying that we are going to stop eating or live in a house of filth, although some days it feels like it.
I just need to take the time to make them feel special and important before I move on to doing what I need to do, and I need to find ways of making them active participants in household duties, instead of putting them in devices or in front of devices designed to entertain them. I can do better, and I will do better, I need to do better. Both for them and myself.
