How To Brainwash Your Husband

Can I just mention “The Epic Enthusiasm Fail of 2012” or more well known to the girls as “The Time We Killed Their Imagination Cos We Suck At Consistency“.  Oh an also maybe because they totally didn’t care at all.

Imagination.

It’s something that I want my children to have.  I want them to think up wild crazy stories, to be able to use their minds to think out of the norm, to be able to play without anything or anyone and to question things around them.  When I was this age I didn’t have a TV/phone/computer/etc to suck away all my imagination for me and while Riya doesn’t sit still for more than 10 or so minutes in front of the TV at a time, Kyla can literally sit there for ever.  I want to encourage them to have a little bit of fun and random creativeness in their lives that doesn’t involve a stimulant.  Obviously it will be within reason, I try to be very, very careful in what I share with them and let them believe.  I had intense nightmares when I was little and I do not want them to experience that too.

All of this has been swirling around in my head for a while now.  It started when I saw the massive tree stump in my parents new back garden.  The moment I saw it I knew that I wanted to make it into a fairy tree house type of vibe (they really love the Tinkerbell movie and series).  I’m dying to do this – so watch this space.  But then my friend posted this link on my Facebook yesterday morning and my brain pretty much exploded with ideas.

So basically, I see these things and inside me my little spark of wanting to do this is fanned into a massive, raging fire.  You guys, I’m a total sucker for this kind of thing.  A real and total nerd.  I stare at it, I browse Pins for ideas, I think of amazing things in my head but that’s where it stops.  Because then I tell Seth and he’s all like, “That sounds cool, have fun”.  And I’m all like, “Please do this with me because like you are the real creative one in our house.  And I’ll love you forever!” and then he’s all like, “Nice try.”

Until today!

No more will I stifle my children’s imaginations.  Even if I have to do it on my own.  Which I won’t, because I’m totally going to brainwash my man into helping me…

What better way to get a man involved than dinosaurs (if you dig the Elf On The Shelf vibe but not the actual elf you should check out that link)…  I mean really now, how cool.  But I must say those dino’s are waaaay to untidy for my liking, but we’ll see how deep into this I get.  Although maybe if we substitute the dinos for say, Lego or something, we will have a real winner on our hands, in order to get Seth involved that is.  But I doubt that the girls will really care if their Lego came to life, they never even play with it.

So, I’m thinking of just using their everyday toys, any and all of them to create their own little scenes every evening.  I might have gotten a little ahead of myself up there though, I think I’ll start on the 25th, then it can happen the month before Christmas every year.  OK, you got me, who am I kidding with every year, let’s just start with this year…  But at least the 25th gives me a few days to get Seth keen anyway.

The story can be that the toys can come to life because they tell Santa whether the kids have been good or not….   Oooooh there’s a discipline tool if I ever saw one.  (Yes, you can give me my parenting award any time, I know bribery is totally and effective discipline method).

What do you think of these type of things?

Oh and don’t forget to nominate me.  And just in case you’ve forgotten my name (don’t worry it happens all the time, just ask my children – Whatchamacallit, Thingymebob and Thatoneoverthere) it’s Cindy Alfino, the blog name is www.alfinos.wordpress.com and YOU ARE AWESOME!