i love the attic

I love our new attic. 

It can be a huge mess, and I never have to see it, walk through it, clean it, nag about it, hide it from friends. 

When friends come over I can sit and chat with the parents while the kids make their ruckus upstairs.

It gives me long periods of quiet while Emmeline naps and kids play.  I have to admit, it’s a bit eerie at times….and sometimes I actually miss hearing them play.  I NEVER thought I’d say it, but 80% of the time I really like hearing the games they’ve come up, it gives me a little glimpse into their worlds and how their minds work.  Thankfully my in-laws sent and intercom system, so I can turn it on to listen in, and turn it off once they start fighting or getting loud and crazy and annoying.

Most of all, I love the attic because it’s magical.  It’s what I always sought out as a kid:  secret places all of my own where I could be who I wanted to be and let my imagination run wild.  A friend this week told me that she read in a book that one thing that little kids need is a place where there are no rules set by parents…..where they can just be who they want to be.  I think that’s what the attic is giving my kids.

This is what I found when I walked up the steps the other day.  At first glance it looked like a huge mess…..but then I tried to see it from my kids perspective and I found that it was a very delicately laid out landscape where their imaginations had some adventures that day.  It made me smile.