Playing in Mud Puddles

One of my favorite memories of my kids growing up was a moment one afternoon, after a rain, where they were just playing in a mud puddle. You see my husband traveled a lot so, it was up to me 24/7 to take care of and manage day to day life. We had lots of activities planned all the time to keep the kids ages 5 and 2 at the time, occupied. There were playdates, gymnastic classes, pre school, and soccer. We planned weekly movie nights and we planned and planned and planned. The house was to be kept spotless and everything in its place, kids perfectly dressed and happy, these were the things that were expected of a mother and her kids.

Then the rain came, we couldn’t do the things we had planned that day and I was, to say the least, a little frustrated as how was I going to entertain the kids and do all the things. Late afternoon, the rain cleared and we went outside. I remember them wanting to play and I was more worried about keeping them clean and not tracking mud into the house.

Jack ever the clown, laid down in a mud puddle in the back yard.

Well, there went my clean kids and clean house.

Shea joined in and they were having an absolute blast. I saw the pure joy and excitement in their faces and decided just to let them have this moment and play.

Play, what a novel concept. Everything was just so planned and controlled that there wasn’t time to play. I only stopped them to go get the video camera so I could share this moment with my husband when he returned from his trip. I hope to someday find that video and laugh along with the kids at their puddle adventures.

Why do we feel like we need to control, manage and plan every aspect of our lives? When did we lose the joy of play?

When the Covid lockdown first began here in Maryland, I would go on walks around the neighborhood and was so heart warmed by the kids playing in the driveways with sidewalk chalk, dad’s playing catch with their kids, games of tag breaking out in the courts. Play, imagination and unadulterated childhood.

Boredom and lack of structure can sometimes lead to imagination, play, ingenuity, creation, and joy. Take a day, wipe your to do list away and just do what feels good for our soul.