Captive

In an ideal world for mom and dad, Ellie would be content to sit by herself and play to her hearts content. She would lovingly talk to her dolls and stack blocks to make a tall tower. In the mean time, we could watch her adoringly while we sat leisurely drinking coffee and reading for pleasure. She would welcome us to play with her if we wish, but her happiness would not depend on whether or not we sat right next to her or just around the corner.

However ideal this situation might be, the reality is that on Saturday mornings, we often find ourselves catching up on chores around the house that we couldn't quite get to during the week. And, since Ellie dearest is the age that she is and the personality that she is, we find ourselves looking for safe solutions whilst we attempt to get a few things done around the house.

One solution: holding our lovely captive for small chunks of time in her room in order for us to get something done. Perhaps this might seem crazy, but believe me, it is so much easier to finish a 10-20 minute task with her not crawling around on the floor, trying to go up/down the stairs, knocking over garbage cans, etc. Much as we like her to be gated, Ellie is not so convinced it's for her. She talks with gusto for the majority of the time, and tries to convince us with every facial expression in the book that she should be let free. Eventually, she does start to settle down and play by herself happily. But, as soon as we release her, she is more than willing to go downstairs and "tag-along" with us with whatever new task we might be doing.