Yesterday, we had some friends over to decorate graham cracker gingerbread houses, an annual tradition in our family. The children were playing outside in our woods when one came with a bucket of dirt to get water from the hose. I told the child we were not playing with water today. It was cool and damp, and we had 15 children running around at that point.
My daughter came next, supposing the rule might not apply since this was her house. Surprise! I still said no. A bit later, they started asking if they could go inside to get drinks of water. When I noticed they were bringing their cups outside to the woods, I quickly declared no cups outside, please!
A few minutes later, one of the boys came out with his water bottle brought from home. I had said no cups - smart kids! We sent it inside and told the children to drink all drinks inside. What sent me into fits of laughter was the next (and final) step.
My daughter and another friend went in for a drink, came out running to the woods with puffy cheeks and tightly sealed lips, promptly spitting their stash into the waiting bucket of dirt. They got mud, and our final insistence that water not be used in any way shape or form outside today was pointless as they glued together the collected rocks with their concoction, effectively making a mud house!
When is the last time you let your children make mud? :)
