It is 6:35 am. The boy is brushing his teeth. His mouth, covered with minty foam is emitting a stream of tangled words about school, Pokemon, snacks and field trips. It is a rare, calm, morning. Until…“Did you put the magnet and decorations in my bag?” he mumbles mid-debate about who the better Pokemon is. (Charizard Ex or Lucario Ex?)
I freeze. “I thought that was for tomorrow!”
“No, it’s today. Check in the diary.”
I try and calm myself by counting to 10, give up at 3 and pole vault into action. In 5 minutes we have managed to put together one box of: magnet, ice cream sticks, bottle caps, a straw and some strange wooden jigsaw puzzle pieces. I’m not sure what these will create together, but I am sure it will be scientific, avant-garde and Nobel prize worthy.
As I wave goodbye to the children, I marvel at how in a span of a few short years, I have transcended from “You need an empty juice carton for a school project? Here, drink 1 litre of OJ before you catch the bus” to “Of course this drawer has everything you need to build a fully functioning mini Hubble telescope.”
Parents are constantly being told what they need to welcome a new born baby to their home. Handloom baby carriers, cribs shaped like eggs to remind the baby of the womb, non-scented, hypo allergenic wet wipes that are good for the planet. Well, what happens when your kid arrives at school, and it’s assumed that you, as a parent are equipped for this new phase of life with enough art and craft supplies to build an upcycled, recycled ladder to Mars? No way will those wet wipes survive in outer space.
Here, dear reader, are 5 things you MUST have in your house for all craft related activities.
A stack of glossy magazines. Now don’t feel so smug and think you have this covered. Those back issues of the Economist won’t do. Too many words, not enough pictures. Cosmo you say? Well, are those pictures of ‘six new positions that will blow his mind’ appropriate for that alphabet cut and stick activity?
I believe ice cream sticks can do anything. They can make photo frames, catapults and potentially solve diplomatic standoffs between countries. I always have some in my purse.
Bottle caps: they can be used to teach math and build a roof for that solar powered house your child will be asked to make for science class. A word of advice: don’t try and consume 200 bottles of Bovonto to collect a stash. Your local raddiwallah will be more than happy to sell you a bag.
Pipe cleaners are great for insect antennae, arachnid legs and alien googly eye holder for the school Halloween parade.
This year, we made a human skeleton, a dinosaur and Aglio Olio with the same bag of pasta. Did we reuse the femur for dinner? Maybe. Maybe not.
So, stock up folks. Have fun with this. Eat 6 cartons of Pralines and Cream from Baskin Robbins so you have empty planters for that mini herb garden. Educate yourself. I just torn out a page from a back issue of a glossy for myself. R is for Ryan Gosling.
(The writer’s parenting philosophy is: if there’s no blood, don’t call me)