Ye Canna Change the Laws of Physics
Timmy brought a balloon to daycare today. A lovely, blue helium-filled balloon from a birthday party he attended last night.
Of course, you bring something to Mary’s house, you share it. (Exceptions made for true lovies.) Balloons are not lovies. It was a bit traumatic, but after giving everyone else a go, the balloon was returned to a shaken and trembling Tim.
Who then proceeded to continue to share it. I am so proud. He is so weird.
The balloon amuses one and all for the rest of the morning. It is tossed and punched and bounced and sat on. It is dragged and dropped and bounced off heads. It is a wonderful, wonderful toy. It is also slowly but inexorably losing its helium. It no longer floats, it limps. Furthermore, it is now encased in dustballs and cat hair.
Ick.
Shortly before lunch, the others having finally tired of the balloon, Timmy amused himself by pinching the largely-deflated latex hairball. He’d draw his fingers slowly together, then let the pinched latex go with a SNAP. It makes a hideous sound, latex does, when it’s pinched.
SKREEEEK! SNAP!
Gigglegigglegigglegigglegiggle…
SK-K-K-KRRRR-EE-EEEK-K-K! SNAP!
Screech! Gigglegigglegiggle…
SKRRRRRREE-EE-EEEK! SNAP!
The giggles are cute and all, but they’re not as cute as the SKREEK-ing is awful. I squat down in front of the boy.
SKKRRREEEEK! SNAP!
Gigglegigglegiggle… There is a glint of silver…
SK-K-K-KRREEE–BANG!
The balloon vanishes. HOW did THAT happen???
Timmy eyes the twist of shrivelled latex dangling from the pale lavender ribbon in his hand. And bursts into…
laughter!
He looks once again at the bit of blue, looks at me, still laughing.
“AGAIN!”
He took the bad news very well.
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A childcare provider is expected to be a superhuman mix of the Madonna and Mary Poppins, ever patient, loving, kind, always delighting in the sweetness of her charges. I don’t do such a bad job, all in all, and it’s far more likely the parents than the children who strain my sanity most days. But I’m here to tell you: It’s Not ALL Mary Poppins…
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It’s magic! I can remember the first time Ian was holding a balloon and it popped. The remnants were in his lap, and he absolutely refused to believe that they were his beloved balloon. “Where it go? Where it go?” all morning.
Well, at least he laughed. I’ve known so many little ones who would have cried their eyes out at that. Not that I blame you, I wouldn’t have been able to stand the screeching either.
very funny!!– good attitude….
we dont do balloons well with the little ones I care for. They eat them after they pop… that’s the flavor they crave… latex.. or whatever they are made out of
jejeje… very nice…
hee hee. When I was a kid, I was blowing up a balloon for some craft during my very short-lived stint as a Brownie, and it popped right in my face. I’m terrified of that, now. Glad he took it better!
“Ye canna change the laws of physics” … Captain!
Scotty, of course, though I don’t remember which episode. Even the titles of your posts are clever!
Quite the opposite of what my little guy did when he couldn’t figure out 1)where his beloved ‘loon went, and 2) what made that awful ‘POP!’ God bless the wee ones with a sense of humor!!!