The Mitten-Hat Consistency Theory ...

I've spent some time recently theorizing about kids and their hats and mittens. If you're in a cold climate like we are, then likely you've come to similar conclusions, all of which concern the physical connections children have with their winter apparel.

It seems to me that there are three distinct types of relationships kids have with their hats and mittens. These I have named the "intimate", the "distant" and the "adverse", each exclusive of the other. No child can have traits from more that one grouping.

I would categorize my 3-year-old daughter Willa as having an intimate bond with her mittens. She had misplaced them at the shopping mall the other day. And as we returned to the scene, Willa's face showed her concern. She was genuinely worried that she wouldn't again have her mittens.

My 4-year son Milo however belongs in the distant grouping, as more often then not, within minutes of going outdoors, both his hat and mittens are no longer on his person, they are, in fact, nowhere to be seen. Only later do we find them under the snow.

Now my 7-year-old falls into the last grouping: adverse. She's coming to that age where hats and mittens are more of a fashion statement then a necessary item of clothing to protect oneself from the elements. She's the child that wears them only when she is around us, opting to remove them at her earliest convenience.

So, as I sit here writing this story in my warm and cozy office, I took the opportunity to don my own winter hat and scarf.
Happy sweeping!

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

Great Aspirations ...

I had my daughter Willa in to the paediatric walk-in clinic last weekend for an ear infection. As we waited for the doctor to come in, she pointed to the blood pressure cuff (the sphygmomanometer, in case you were wondering).

"I know what dat for, you know," she said. "You put it on your arm and 'queed it for it go all tight."

"Yes, you're right!" I was impressed.

After we discussed it for a while, she added, "I gonna be a doctor tum day, you know."

Now I was really impressed. Not even 3 years old yet and already she has great aspirations for her future.

"And den, tum day I gonna be a Tanta Claus," she added, as my pride diminished somewhat. "And den," she concluded excitedly, "tum day I gonna be a tree house!"

Happy sweeping!

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Fish Tale ...

One of our kids received a battery-operated fishing game for Christmas. It's akin to a carnival game where the fish bob up and down, mouths opening and closing, and you have to drop your fishing line into an open mouth. Only this game has much smaller fish and a very tiny fishing rod. The game has proven to be an exercise in frustration for all three of our kids.

The other day, after 4-year-old Milo had been playing, unsuccessfully, for awhile, I noticed a pile of eyeball stickers on the table.

"Where did these all come from?" I asked.

"It was Milo," answered Bob. "He told me he took them off the fish so they couldn't see him fishing."

Happy sweeping!

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

App-Raisin' the Situation ...

Over the holidays, my three kids played alot with the Christmas decorations. The big favourites was the miniature nativity set I bought years ago at the dollar store. They are about the same size as the Fisher Price Little People and they were soon relocated from the buffet to the 3-storey doll house the kids have, joining all the other people-type figures they like to play with.

One night after the children were in bed, I was surveying the damage of the day's play when I saw the nativity scene neatly displayed on the dining room table.

There, in a circle around Baby Jesus, were Mary and Joseph, the three Magi, the donkey, the cow and the groovy, sunglasses-wearing California Raisin.

Happy sweeping!

Kathleen Gunther

Editor, ContestHound.com

Not Only the Weather is Chili ...

Last night as I was serving up supper, I asked my husband Bob if he wanted anything on his chili.

"Do you want sour cream?" I asked.

"Sure," came the reply.

"How about grated cheddar?"

"Okay."

"And what about all those extra calories and fat?"

"Nah," he said, sounding disappointed.

"So, what do you want me to leave off?" I asked.

"The commentary."

Happy sweeping!

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Den my head id gonna cwack ...

My almost 3-year-old daughter Willa has a great vocabulary and a very colourful imagination. She has always befriended baby monsters (or "montode", as she says) and carefully carries them around in her hand. She loves to sit and read books by herself or to her toys, making up the story when she forgets the original words. She is a constant source of amusement when it comes to her story-telling.

We were at my oldest daughter Neva's swimming lesson a few weeks ago when she told one of her doozies.

She and I were watching from the gallery above the pool. I was holding her and she kept leaning towards the railing. I told her not to lean or I would have to put her down. I decided not to be vague about it and explained, "If you fall you will land on the pool deck and crack your head open."

Her eyes grew big as saucers and she elaborated for me: "I gonna fall an' land on my head. Den my head id gonna cwack open an' all duh watermelon id gonna come out. An' it gonna be a weally, weally big ouchie!"

Happy sweeping!

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Surprise, Surprise

Children are strange creatures.

I was having a tough time coping with my three kids' behaviour tonight. It started after swimming lessons when Milo, my 4 1/2-year-old son, and his almost 3-year-old sister Willa decided it was more fun to hide in the lockers and escape the change room than get dressed to go home.

It continued at home when 7-year-old Neva added to the struggle, loudly protesting the home made turkey soup that was served for supper.

When bedtime finally arrived -- not soon enough, thank you very much! -- I took a much-needed break while the three of them brushed their teeth. Bob was folding laundry in the bedroom and I decided he could finish that on his own.

After a while, things got strangely quiet. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I stayed hidden at my desk, enjoying the peace. Shortly after, Neva came to find me.

"Daddy needs you. He has a surprise," she told me.

Begrudgingly I went to the bedroom only to find, to my great bewilderment, all three children quietly and happily folding the laundry with Bob. Neva was proudly displaying her own pile and Milo was very carefully putting Willa's pyjamas away in the drawer.

Boy, do I like surprises!

Happy sweeping!

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone! We hope all of our readers enjoyed a wonderful holiday, whatever you celebrated.

Our kids enjoy playing "I Spy" and they’re finally at the ages where they can play together, although definitely at different levels of comprehension.

It was 7-year-old Neva’s turn and she spied the colour black. After numerous wrong guesses, both 4 1/2-year-old Milo and Willa, almost 3, gave up.

"It’s my eye!" she said. And then she explained, "You know the black dot in the middle of your eye? That’s called the pimple!"

Happy sweeping!

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com