Beep Beep Crash

It’s not terribly often that I “get on the floor and play” with my kids and genuinely have fun doing it for more than a few minutes. I always have a hard time setting aside my mental lists (or…my phone) and fully engaging with them. I’m guilty of half “playing” (being in the same room and commenting on their play) while cleaning up other toys or random items nearby. And sometimes I honestly just get bored with whatever entertains 1 and 3 year olds.

Anyone relate?

Yesterday evening, though, I had a really satisfying game of Crashing Cars with both kids! We have two Little Tikes Cozy Coupes, courtesy of Granny and Grandpa on both first birthdays, so when she’s feeling contrary, Miryam is able to demand to play in whichever car Luke is already in. Our game last night arose out of one such episode.

The kids had been struggling with taking turns all afternoon.
“I wanted to blow out the candle!”
“Caaaaaaaar! Pea!” (“Pea”=“please” // Miryam didn’t want to share the big Mustang model or small Lightning McQueen with Luke.)
“Those are my strawberries!” (Nope, sister, those are definitely a community item.)

So, Luke was in the fire truck. Miryam “really really” wanted the fire truck. I suggested that she offer to trade with her generally-less-particular brother. She couldn’t calm her “needs” down enough to verbalize the offer, so I asked Luke, “Would you like to take a turn in the pink car?”

“Yeah!”

“See, sweetie, you just have to ask him nicely.”

Luke, in a heart-melting moment of 22-month-old maturity, pushed his red car to Miryam and said, “Share!” Then he went to get the pink car himself. Crisis averted.

Of course Luke then requested that I push him, which I obliged. Miryam asked if I could push her, too. I told her she’s too big, that I can only push 1 or 2 year olds, but “you can use your feet to push yourself right beside us.”

Lucky for me, she accepted this proposition and proceeded to Fred Flintstone it—she is the perfect age, for size and coordination, to really glide along—while I zoomed Luke. After several laps through the living room/kitchen/TV room loop, she stopped without me realizing it, so Luke and I gave her a “beep beep!” warning before crashing into her bumper (at a relatively gentle, mom-bent-over-pushing-car speed).

Both of them thought it was hilarious! Who knew a little plastic-to-plastic tap could be so entertaining. We kept it up—Miryam racing ahead of us only to stop and wait for our “Beep beep! CRASH!!”—for a solid ten minutes. I found myself legitimately laughing right along with my giggle box kids over this silly crashing! When I’d reached my limit with the pushing position, I announced one last time around and final crash, then told them with complete sincerity, “I had a lot of fun playing that with you!” before breaking the news that Mommy was all done. Surprisingly, I wasn’t met with whining. Win! We went on to our next (separate) activities with the pleasant memory of our just-finished game still lingering.

I love these moments when the kids and I are in sync, sharing, not manipulating, not distracted by screens, and actually playing together. Nobody yells, everyone giggles, dimples show, and I’m reminded why two are better than one.***

Yes, on occasion, Justin looks at me and ironically asks, “Aren’t you glad we have two?” (This usually happens during the super sanctifying parts of parenthood, like when the kids are simultaneously having a meltdown about how you’re not giving them lollipops, because they just had ice cream.) I always answer “yes,” but sometimes I’m sure my eyes betray, “but one would be less of a pain than two at this moment.”

Having grown up with four sisters, I always knew I wanted (God willing) to give my kids the built-in playmates that are siblings. And what a joy it is to see and help them play together; even better when I’m really “in on it”!

Comment below or email me to share a game you’ve played with kids that was seriously fun for you, too.

***For my family, right now. Number of children is a dynamic discernment between you, your partner, and God. I think all sizes of families are wonderful!