By Linda Lodding
If you think you have a busy life, just peek into Ernestine’s diary. She’s the poster girl for today’s over-scheduled child and she’s about to do what no Buckmeister has ever done. PLAY!??
I admit it, I was a Mrs. Buckmeister type-A Mom — signing up my 4-year old daughter for every class imaginable. Figure skating? Yup! Tennis for Tots? Yesiree! Improvisational Theatre? She was there.
But I wasn’t alone in my over-zealousness for my daughter to “live life to the fullest,” (as Ernestine’s parents implore in “The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister”). It seemed that most parents I knew were caught in this web of after-school enrichment.
Editor note: I don’t know about you but as a parent I find it easy to be carried away with extra curricular activities for kids. Do you think scheduled activities for kids are to blame for lack of outdoor play? You can win this funny book by simply commenting on this question and story here or on our FB page. Comments accepted until Friday 9th of September.
By Linda Lodding
If you think you have a busy life, just peek into Ernestine’s diary. She’s the poster girl for today’s over-scheduled child and she’s about to do what no Buckmeister has ever done. PLAY!??
I admit it, I was a Mrs. Buckmeister type-A Mom — signing up my 4-year old daughter for every class imaginable. Figure skating? Yup! Tennis for Tots? Yesiree! Improvisational Theatre? She was there.
But I wasn’t alone in my over-zealousness for my daughter to “live life to the fullest,” (as Ernestine’s parents implore in “The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister”). It seemed that most parents I knew were caught in this web of after-school enrichment. No one wanted their child to be left behind on the after-school activity bandwagon lest their child’s inner Picasso remain dormant.
But, one day, my daughter’s African drumming teacher gently pulled me aside and told that my daughter was falling asleep in class and that, perhaps, the activity was too much for her. That’s when I knew that it was time for her to retire her bongo and time for me to pull back on this over-scheduling. I knew that I didn’t want my 4 year-old burning out before her kindergarten years were over. Fortunately, I also found the humor in this situation and funneled this into writing, “The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister.”
Only after Flashlight Press accepted the book for publication did I start learning more about the benefits of play. I was amazed to learn how beneficial play is to our kids. I always knew it was fun, but I didn’t know it was also good for them! That was like finding out that double-fudge brownies are, in fact, healthy!
Now I know that play comes with a lot of benefits: play helps boost creativity and imagination, stretches children’s attention spans, encourages self-confidence and hones important life-skills – not to mention gives children a lifetime of happy memories. If I could’ve signed my child up for a class with those kinds of guarantees, I would’ve!
That’s not to say that after-school activities don’t have their place (my daughter never would’ve fallen in-love with the piano if it weren’t for her exposure to music lessons) but I think, as parents, we need to help our kids find balance. We also need to stay in-tune with our kids’ needs. While some children thrive with a packed schedule, others become anxious and stressed. I think most parents are smart enough to tell the difference.
But I am hoping that “The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister” will help put play back on every child’s agenda.
So, as we head into our back-to-school calendar, it may be prudent to make sure that we schedule in some play time for our kids – and ourselves.
Linda Ravin Lodding’s debut picture book for ages 5-7, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister (illustrated by Suzanne Beaky, Flashlight Press) celebrates the joy of play. Linda is originally from New York, but now makes her home in a one-windmill town in The Netherlands. You can visit Linda online at: http://www.lindalodding.com . The book is now available from Amazon.com and other retailers.
