May 23: Cooperative Games and Earnest Songs

We are back to in-person Sarah-Rise sessions with Sc!! These session include Amy, as they have for years. It is beyond wonderful to have Sc in person even though the FaceTime sessions were impressively effective. Last Tuesday they spent the whole time outside with sidewalk chalk, cauldrons, and brooms. 

Last Sunday Sarah participated in a virtual piano recital and did as beautifully as always. Practicing piano is never her favorite thing, and she resists mightily if I attempt to help or steer her practice in any way. She will practice, but she will only play what she wants to play. Her teacher creatively and kindly continues to find ways to teach her new songs. Once Sarah is in the groove with a song that is the only thing she will practice. This is especially noticeable after a recital, which is the time most kids stop playing their recital pieces and move on to something new. Not Sarah. She is on a roll with “Tucker’s Secret Life” and will sing along about that “big dog boogie” every day when she practices for her 5 minutes. I do love her earnest singing.

Sarah received her first Pfizer covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday and had no side effects. She handled the whole process like a pro, following me easily through the maze of arrows, signs, and people. 

Yesterday Carl participated in an all-day bike race that went well but was intense. The girls and I had a lovely relaxed day including snuggles, a nap, fruit smoothy milkshakes, making beaded bracelets with supplies from Grandma, an outdoor playdate, the sprinkler, and playing The Secret Door. The Secret Door is a cooperative memory game where you are hoping to avoid turning over clock cards. Since Sarah loves clocks and loves pretend things going wrong, we had a great time saying “Oh dear” every time one of us revealed a clock.

As I write, Sarah and I are outside. She is enjoying the bubble machine which pumps out bubbles at a fast and generous rate. Sarah is singing, “bubbles here, bubbles there, bubbles up, bubbles down, bubbles bubbles all around.” I’m not sure if she made that up or not. 

Carl and Amy are away for a Girl Scout horseback riding adventure. When they return I’m sure we will play more rounds of The Secret Door and perhaps a few games of Zombie Kids. Zombie Kids is another cooperative game, and it has the option to evolve in complexity the more you play. The players are kids clearing zombies out of their school. Amy keeps track of the complexity and helps guide the rest of us each time we play.