Childlike

My kids’ favorite toy is a car sunshade. We’ve got a whole room dedicated to playthings: trucks, trains, dolls, play food, dress-ups, blocks, and games. Yet, day after day they entertain themselves with a sunshade: a silvery, reflective, accordion-folded, keep-it-in-your-car-to-cover-your-windshield-in-the-parking-lot-at-the-mall kind of shade. They found it stashed in the closet and have claimed it as their own. They unfold it, lay it across the top three steps, sit down, and toboggan down the stairs. They prop it up like a tent and play fort or castle or house. Sissy folds it up, sets it vertical, and opens each fold as she “reads” me a story. Mr. D lies the folded shade flat on the ground and pretends it’s a skateboard.

Isn't it funny what kids will find to entertain themselves? D uses hangers to play Captain Hook. He creates a lawnmower out of sticks, boxes or even a curtain rod he dug up during the move. He found Chad's ID card holder, one that clips to your belt and then has a retractable cord that lets you pull your card out, then snaps it back: it entertains him for HOURS! Sis uses water shoes for ballet slippers, plays "baby" with a bag of rice and transforms into Super Girl with her hooded bath towel.

What happens between childhood and being all grown up that takes all the fun out of every day things? Maybe I just need a good, kid-like ride on our slippery, shiny sun shade toboggan.

Maybe.