Toilet Paper Time
This morning I was really tired and Danielle wanted to play. We are staying with my dad and Danielle found a roll of toilet paper. It was dubbed "Cheap Entertainment" by my dad and he didn't have a problem with her playing with it so I let her. I awoke an hour later covered with tiny pieces of shredded toilet papet. Totally worth the hour. I remember the first time that I realized the little white cabinet with toilet paper in it was not baby secure. Danielle likes alone time so I try to secure the house so she can wander alone. But suddenly she came from the downstairs bathroom to show me her roll of toilet paper. Half of her roll of toilet paper, the other half was all over the floor in the entryway. Danielle's idea of what to do with toilet paper has evolved. She doesn't want to eat it anymore, she likes to pull it off the roll. After this important baby work is done she does the second step, tearing the toilet paper into the tiniest pieces she can manage.
I was surprised my dad was so easygoing about the toilet paper. One of my childhood memories is my dad teaching me how to use toilet paper. He taught me to fold it over and only take a few squares. I was thrilled to learn how grown ups used toilet paper and the right way was to avoid clogging the toilet with my fistfulls of tp. Now I realize my dad was probably trying to save himself a little trouble. Three girls learning how to use the toilet probably meant a lot of clogs and more than a roll a day. My lesson may have been about money, dont throw all that toilet paper down the drain it is expensive!
My second grown up lesson was when my dad told me how fast he could shower. He said he was so efficient he usually only needed no more than five minutes to shower. I wanted the elusive "efficient" ability so I started cutting down on shower time. To this day I don't shower more than three minutes with semi-warm water. Except the other day when John was watching Danielle while I showered. I wanted to take a long time and relax. I think it was six minutes, and I shaved my legs.
How clever was my dad? I wonder how much money he saved. Probably he saw the water bill and realized he needed a plan of action for teaching his kids. Most of my dad lessons were things like- it is cool to keep your room about 65 degrees in the winter so you can test your blankets (this one never caught on- sorry for the 80 degree heating bills) or how to use less toilet paper or how to tie my shoes.
Now rather than teaching my daughter to avoid the toilet paper, he has dubbed it cheap entertainment. I think this is the grandparent syndrome coming through- all those money saving values they teach their kids will be thrown out the window. Honestly I am glad for the contribution of one hour to my sleep. The cheap entertainment sure worked a charm. And Danielle managed to find another step, cover every square inch of mommy with toilet paper and as much as posssible, stuff her clothes.
Posts
Janae I can tell you that in a house of three girls that there is often the equivalent of like 2 full rolls of toilet paper in our toilet. Luckily it has never clogged because you should see the flush power down here in NZ. I think you could flush a small pig down it and I wouldn't doubt that my kids have-and that would be using the "half-flush" feature.
I wish someone had gotten a shot of you covered in shredded t.p....cause that would've been cheap entertainment for me too! Danielle is hilarious! Why are you guys staying with your dad?