Let them play

We had a beautiful weekend, just the three of us pottering around at home. Ads and I have some serious work to do in the garden. We spent most of Sunday morning fighting with a section of boysenberry that we had let go feral. We won, but it was a bloody victory.

As soon as we had started working, however, Quincey chimed in with his usual 'I'm bored' mantra. As a keen (and recently frustrated) gardener, this was the last thing I wanted to hear the minute I slipped on my gardening gloves. Grrrr. I wanted to chuck him in the brambles Winnie the Pooh style. But I restrained myself and replied my usual reply 'You're not board, your just lazy. Go and find something to do'. And to my delight he did.

Any modern day parent will understand how truly heartwarming it is to see their kids play in nature, rather than on a screen. It's hard for us parents now, but we have to try. For us, Quin can nag for screens for 45 mins or more. I'm fairly stubborn and I consider this a test of my parenting. Most of the time, together we can push through this and something beautiful happens. He wanders off and finds something creative to do like he did on Sunday. It was a whole little world he had created. I was impressed with his patience - he was working on it for a good while before I found him. He'd also been working on some rather complicated Hero Factory blockade to our front door.

This was all much more fun than boysenberry wrestling so after I took these photos, I played too. It reminded me of how much I love looking for 'mini beasts' under rocks and mulch.

Our lives are not always as charmed as the pictures make it seem, but this was one of those rare and precious mornings. It rained in the afternoon and in the evening we went out with the torch to check on Quin's creation. A snail had moved in! How wonderful!