Chutes and Ladders...

A and I were playing Shoots and Ladders this morning. I get a little introspective sometimes (gasp, I know) and as we're playing I realize how our game is connected to our current growth stages. A's character was progressing at a rapid pace up the board. She kept landing on the same chutes (poor decisions) over and over again and would go down to a lower level but then she'd progress just as quickly jumping up a ladder (good choice) or spinning a large number.

When you're young, you grow and learn in leaps and bounds (or chutes and ladders...hehe!). You're experiences are so profound and you have someone counting with you, looking out for your mistakes / discoveries so they can help you understand the consequences (positive and negative) and the world seems so  new and filled with possibilities. Also, there is no looking ahead because you need someone to count it all out for you (or guide you on your way) - A kept forgetting how many spaces she was supposed to move forward and was leaving her character a spot or two behind (oh look, something shiny).

My character moved at a much slower pace. I spun low numbers and moved only a few spaces at a time. I kept landing on different choices (both positive and negative) and I just kind of stayed stagnant, bouncing from one line to another. Every time I moved forward or got ahead of her, I'd slip down a chute again. I tried to have A help me count my spaces but she was getting so distracted that I was having to count out myself (while keeping her engaged and the petting the dog who kept trying to lay on the game board to get some lovin').

As an adult (something I will always have a hard time referring to myself as), I have a slightly skewed view of life; experiences are sometimes new but I know enough to have an idea about what an experience is going to offer (to a degree). It's important to keep a consistent lifestyle so my kids can grow and experience things without having to focus on all the new around them (rather than the individual new that is in front of them). I make the choice to multitask because I want to show that all the characters in my life are important and I want to give attention to each. My mistakes have a more broad base of consequences as they affect more than myself but my new explorations, as far and few between as they may seem, can life my whole family up and make life better in ways that may surprise even the biggest skeptic.

A won both games - she was so excited that she won but my heart melted when she snuggled up to me and said, "Great Job!" Truly, she was just happy to have someone to play a game with and get that individual attention every child craves and I was thrilled to have a few moments where she was a bouncing 4 year old, giggling and playful rather than the youngest of four trying desperately to act old enough or cool enough to garner just a little attention from the chaos that is our life...