LESSON FIVE

Objective

Good Clean Fun



Example

With four children bath time has become a regimented cleaning assembly line and not the waterfest it used to be. The children go in and play for twenty seconds before I descend on them wielding the dreaded pouring cup. First I wash Isabel and she screams bloody murder, then I wash Liam who insists he is never dirty. I haul them out and dry them, brush them, shine them, and send them packing. Then I take a bath with the baby, washing him first and then myself, holding him above water with one hand while I use my other hand to wash and rinse my hair and slather myself with soap. Then I haul both of us out and dry him while I drip. Sometimes if I am very very lucky I get a bath by myself for a few minutes before everyone finds me, or if I can manage to stay awake longer than they do.
But a bath for fun?...not since I was ten and thought plastic mermaids were the height of fun.
So Saturday morning we drink chocolate milk and take a bath and I learn the ropes of playing a waterlogged version of The Clone Wars and jumping Barbies off of the sides of the tub. We giggle and splash, and don't even wash our hair to justify the hot water bill, and the floor becomes a giant puddle, and I don't complain, not once, even later when I walk in it in my socks.
I have so much fun I am inspired to make good on my promise to film low budget youtube (so low you don't want to go there) commercials using Barbies, for my interior decorating business.
My children are an eager crew and they are really really cheap to hire. Even Fallon and her friend forget they are fifteen and get into it. We dress the Barbies and put them in impossible situations and try to make the lamest most gimmicky videos ever. We are artistic geniuses rivaling Spielberg...and I have learned to appreciate Barbie in a whole new way.

Homework

Make something routine fun.

Extra Credit

Incorporate Barbies into it.