Water Fight At the Infant Development Program

We had a bit of a water fight at our playgroup this week.

On Mondays we attended the Infant Development Playgroup for children age three and under. We got to the group a little early this week. With the room to himself, as soon as I wrestled his coat off of him, Little Man was whipping around the room. He pulled toys off shelves, went head first down the slide, gorged himself on Play-doh ("Not in your mouth, right Momma?") and basically whirled around like the Road Runner on speed.

It didn't help that he was the only child (or maybe it did, as there was no poor babe to get stepped on or bowled over in his rampage). Eventually I was able to catch him and play quietly for a few minutes, but he was entirely overstimulated and overactive.

After a few minutes two other kids arrived, and he settled down a little bit and played nicely. Until the water table came out.

I saw the development worker bring the sink into the carpeted room and thought to myself "No way, it's got to be a sand table. Or it'll be filled with toys, but not water. That's just insane."

I actually said aloud: "Um, I don't think that's a very good idea." but she smiled and shushed me and proceeded to fill the sink with water and toys and invite the three toddlers over to get wet.

The little girls played nicely. My son did not. He loves water so much that we've postponed toilet training. Every time we put him on the potty he tries to get INTO the toilet for a "fun bath, momma!". There was no way a sink full of water and toys suspended next to a carpeted floor was going to end well.

It didn't. Little Man pushed one girl out of the way, and distracted the other by lobbing a ball at her head. He then proceeded to climb up the sink and into the basin. "Oh, no, we stand NEXT to the sink, dear. Out you get." Little Man just looked at her as if to say "Like h*@@! we do!" and proceeded to STAND in the sink.

"Down, down! Out you get!" said the frantic development worker. I warned her, and was taking no part in removing my splashing toddler from the sink. I was NOT going to get wet just because SHE ignored my warning.

So Little Man obeyed. He got down -- actually, he SAT down in the sink. So now we had two wet feet, one wet bum, and one drenched infant development worker.

The sink disappeared soon after. I think I'll dress him in his swim trunks and googles and prep him to ask for "more water table" at the next playgroup session.