Slow Down Mummy

This morning I spent an hour playing a knights/minecraft/Deltora Quest/Zac Power game with my 5 year old. (Can you tell he has older brothers?..no Bob the Builder for this kid!) It involved running around the house finding treasure with a rubber snake each…. It was kinda fun and he loved it, just he and I.

I found this poem last night and it really fitted with my life at the moment. I used to play with the boys a lot more than I do now. The older boys do spend a lot of time riding scooters outside now with their friends in the street, so I don’t get as much time with them anyway, but when they were 5 we used to play adventure games all the time. My little guy just isn’t getting the attention that his brothers did at his age. I’m sort of thinking thats why he is a bit more ..shall we say… difficult than they were.

Anyway here’s the poem. I’m going to make the effort to play with my little man more, it won’t be long before he’s off scootering down the street with his brothers. Then I won’t have anyone to play with.

It’s from Love can come in Bottles too.

slow down mummy, there is no need to rush,

slow down mummy, what is all the fuss?

slow down mummy, make yourself a cup of tea.

slow down mummy, come spend some time with me.

slow down mummy, let’s pull boots on for a walk,

let’s kick at piles of leaves, and smile and laugh and talk.

slow down mummy, you look ever so tired,

come sit and snuggle under the duvet, and rest with me a while.

slow down mummy, those dirty dishes can wait,

slow down mummy, let’s have some fun – bake a cake!

slow down mummy, I know you work a lot,

but sometimes mummy, it’s nice when you just stop.

sit with us a minute,

and listen to our day,

spend a cherished moment,

because our childhood won’t stay!

-R. Knight