Waterplay at home

Friday, July 19 2013

Inspired by Taikun’s recent first-experiences of water (pool and waterplay at daycare), T has been thinking about getting him some toys to enjoy at home. After dinner, we made a trip to Target and bought two items—one plastic slide with water jets on sides, and one waterhose with tiny protruding nozzles that inject water out to air.

He loved them so much, especially for the waterhose. After getting home he couldn’t wait to get’em and opened them, only being discouraged since it was way too dark to play outside. “Too late tonight,” we told him to wait until tomorrow.

Saturday, July 20 2013

Around 8:45am, loud calls from Taikun’s bedroom: “Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama!” T still with eyes closed, wanted me to check him.

When I pushed the door in, he sat on the bed smiling. “Papa  gâu-chá,” he grined. I also followed, “”A-kun ma  gâu-chá.” Looked like this will be a good-mood day for him.

While I was wondering if he remembered the dream water-play items that we didn’t allow him to open last night, “Goa beh chhit-thô sin-beh e hosu! (I want to play with the newly-bought hose!)” He has his heart set on them—and asked for them in the first place right after he wakes up.

“Ai- dan  chia̍h-pn̄g, ([you have to] wait after the meal.)” I continued, “Mama e chá-tǹg chia̍h-pá  tio̍h ho li chhit-thô (After you finish Mama's meal, [I'll let] you to play with it) ”. He was axcious, “Goa beh hosu! (I want hose)” Then he used a red crab, a bath-toy that would march in the water if its spring is fastened, to hit me. I protested. “Papa si-le, (Papa sorry)” he continued. 

While I showed my displeasure by “crying” on his bed, he hit me again—this time harder. Though it didn’t hurt, to educate him, I immediately left his room, feigning crying.

Then I overheard he monologed by himself from his bedroom: “Goa phah Papa nn̄g-bai. Papa tio̍h khàu a (I hit Dad twice. Dad then cried.)”. Interesting. Was he apologizing, or he was verbally reviewing what just happened? 

At 9:40am, he entered my study, apologizing repetitively: “Papa goa beh go phah li lo. Si-le (Papa I won’t hit you anymore. Sorry). Papa goa beh go phah li lo. Papa goa beh go phah li lo. Papa si-le.” 

Then he started to mess up with my desktop items. To show him the correct attitude, I asked him to look at my eyes when speaking it, “ khòaⁿ gao-e ba̍k-chiu.” He followed, repeating his apology when looking at my eyes.  I accepted his apology and hugged him.

Then changed his diaper, he repeated, “goa siou-dan go-beh chit-toh goa sin-beh e gam-a sek e hosu! Yong ga-do ga. (later I want to play the newly-bought, orange-color waterhose. Use a scissor to cut [the package open.])

T then opened the box he has dreamed for the entire night. We placed on it on backyard grass and connected it to the tap. After turning on the tap, water started to blast from its nozzles. It worked! 

The big moment came: Taikun has waited anxiously in the playroom. “Wow! Waaah!” He shouted so loudly when we opened the door allowing him to backyard. T then stepped out to turn on the tap. 

When he walked down the steps to the grass, his prudence prevailed: instead of dashing to the hose on the grass, he slowly approached it and looked at it. After nearing and getting wet, he realized the “danger” of the toy and run away many times. He loved it, returning many times to explore more of it. However, the nozzles were soft and turned aimlessly when blasting water. I guessed this unpredictability kept him a distance-- he couldn’t just fully immerse himself in it. Looked like he inherited a conservative mind.

Despite his resistance, T later held him to get close to the hose, to show him the mechanism of the waterjets. At first he grumbled in T’s arms reluctant to go. Gradually, he was willing to near it. Hope he understood how this toy worked.

Quickly Taikun got soaked and we brought him indoors to. There are still a lot of new things waiting you to explore.