#bloginstead Challenge Day One, Episode Two: Learning, Piracy

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The Mouse House Building Kit was a success with three of the children, especially with Baz. The photo is of his mouse house maze. He even drew mice to live in the house.

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It wasn’t such a hit with my oldest daughter, who was not interested in those textures. So I quickly made her a sensory game with little squeezy scoops and plastic gems in about half my stash of mustard seeds. (If you’ve followed my Accessible Church School adventures or attended my AFCon talk, you’ll know why I have 15 pounds of mustard seeds on hand. If not, it’s a little treat to look forward to/something truly weird to ponder when you have insomnia.)

This game, too, was overwhelming, but it was revelatory. I learned where the attention and integration gap was. When she was too overwhelmed to participate in a well liked texture game and in a well liked task (making lists and check marks to represent the gems), I realized she needed a support bridge to communicate. I got out Bazzy’s old PODD and modeled a word. She took the PODD and used it herself the rest of the session. I was able to come up with a good working plan with the therapist for some comment boards to facilitate communication when my daughter is stressed. This is one of those days when failure is so helpful that it feels like a success.

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After all that, I spent some time hanging out with our resident fluffy standard poodle puppy, Doctor Horatio Biscuit. You might think he’s cute –true– but don’t let your guard down. He’s also an infamous pirate of the seven snacks, a sneak thief of trash cans, kid hands, and picnic tables such as the yard and kitchen have never seen before.

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I am sorry to tell you that these adorable children were harassed by that self same pirate, who almost got away with a graham cracker and a giant marshmallow and very nearly stole his own cousin’s yogurt.

For this reason, he was banished to his crib till after snack. But his infamy lives on in the song that echoes through the halls and trampolines where those who have survived his cute-pestuous begging play:

Pirates come, and pirates go,

And pirates love Horatio.

Pirates walk on feet and pegs;

Horatio has furry legs.

Horatio, he begs and steals,

He licks his victims’ hands and heels.

He isn’t mean. He’s not irate,

But he’s a fabulous pirate.

The pirates sneak, they make their plan

They respect neither dog nor man

Horatio? He cannot talk,

But pirates love that salty dog.

Till later. Ahoy!

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