A throwback to my childhood...

So today at naptime, I told both of my monsters that they HAD to take a nap, no buts about it.  I always find it amusing when they have other ideas about what a nap actually means. To my oldest, it means "to take a breath" which is her translation of taking a REST.  However, she has it made up in her tiny yet enormous brain that a rest=a breath. Is this just her confusing her words, or is she a little more clever than I? I honestly could not answer that, because I think the answer changes from day to day. My youngest thinks that taking a nap means to briefly squinch (which I don't think is a word!) her eyes closed for about 20 seconds before laughing, opening them, and proclaiming "I awake!" She really is a doll.*(this has sparked an idea for another post which may immediately follow).

Anyway. Back to telling them they HAD to take a nap. After a mere 5 minutes of being in their room I hear giggles. Then outright laughter. Then, a combination of their favorite pretend games: Mommy/Baby and Lorelie is a Puppy. This wasn't really working out as Lorelie was both the Puppy and the Mommy at the same time, but either way it was cute sounds of playing together that I heard. It was then that I realized that when it is time for naps is when my children decide to play with each other best. They enjoy playing with each other, and they do it Oh So Quietly. Because technically nap time is forbidden playtime. Which is what brings me to the title of my post "A throwback to my childhood."
When my sister and I were younger, we did a lot of the things that my monsters do now, and it is often a source of endless amusement and nostalgia for me. One thing, however, that is most amusing to me is the forbidden playtime. Most of my memories of this actually took place once my sister and I were pre-teen/teenagers. For whatever reason (and because life was just So Unfair) we found ourselves grounded quite a bit.  Meaning we couldn't watch t.v., read books, listen to music, play on our computers, or basically do any of those lifeline activities that most teens find devastatingly important. However, we could sit in each other's rooms and talk, laugh, gossip, share secrets or even play. Now at 15 and 12 that meant playing board games as quietly as possible because I'm not sure it was ever determined if we were actually allowed to do such a thing. Did board games qualify in the 'Punishable by Law' activities? Who knows. They were forced upon us for Family Game Night (and of course, we were just pretending to enjoy ourselves. Duh!), so that meant it must be a punishment to play them.... No seriously, FGN was always fun, but board games were a grey area.
So there we would sit, quiet as mice laughing with each other during the only time we actually enjoyed each other's company. The Forbidden Playtime. The time when all we had LITERALLY was each other for entertainment. I almost wonder if my parents did this on purpose! I hold those memories near and dear to my heart, because as adults, my sister and I rarely see each other. This is sad, and happy for me. When we were younger, she was my best friend and the keeper of all my gossip. She was the one I protected and stood up for, and the one who dried my tears. As adults though, it's a gem for me to see her blossoming into a bold outgoing adult from the once shy and quiet wall flower. Her fierce loyalty and attitude is seen even more as she fights for what she believes in, because really, who is going to knock her down? So now, waiting in the wings, is her quiet, stay at home mom, older sister waiting for the day when I have to protect her again, and when we will sit, quietly gossiping and sharing late night movies as all of my children sleep in the next room, having enjoyed their own forbidden playtime.

It really is amazing how my girls remind me of my sister and I. I can only hope that they will evolve through this crazy life with a best friend that they find right across the hall.

My sister and I, around the same age of my monsters now. :)