Run, internal monologue, run!
Mar. 31st, 2014 09:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rebeccmeisterThe Facebook experiment continues.
It used to be that I would write blog posts in my mind while bicycling to and from different things. Sites like FB and the tweeter turned that into microblogging posts, encouraging me to have short, scattered thoughts. But the writing Ihave get to do for work is long-form, and something tells me the long-form is a better way of structuring my thoughts. Otherwise, I'm constantly interrupting myself. Thoughts need to be gathered, not scattered.
There, again, I don't know how parents do it. Small children don't sit still for very long, which can make it hard to retain a train of thought, or hold a conversation. I saw a lot of this yesterday while trying to get in a work party with my friend J. He's working on writing two grants with looming deadlines, and it's too much work and is eating up any and all of his spare time. If I'm left to my own devices on weekends, I won't sit down at the computer for very long before thinking of something I want to do or build and springing up out of my chair. So, work party.
The only caveat to the work party was that we had to do double-duty with childcare for J and K's four-year-old son B, so K could run around and take care of other things. B had a somewhat tough time of it - he wanted J's attention and help to play video games, and to fix and eat a snack, and to figure out other fun and interesting things to do (ach, boredom, what luxury!). I wasn't much help, because there was a decided shortage of interesting movies and games on my computer. B also didn't want us to have any involved conversations about implanting electrodes into the brain (subject of J's grant proposal). In some respects, he was right, we should be working more and chatting a bit less (except that writing can get so isolating, and it can be helpful to talk through ideas out loud).
I'm thinking I need to accumulate a small stash of interesting things or ideas to engage with B, or give him something to work on or play with when I'm around. I think he's still at the stage where storybooks are more fun if they're interactive. Do any of you have ideas?
It used to be that I would write blog posts in my mind while bicycling to and from different things. Sites like FB and the tweeter turned that into microblogging posts, encouraging me to have short, scattered thoughts. But the writing I
There, again, I don't know how parents do it. Small children don't sit still for very long, which can make it hard to retain a train of thought, or hold a conversation. I saw a lot of this yesterday while trying to get in a work party with my friend J. He's working on writing two grants with looming deadlines, and it's too much work and is eating up any and all of his spare time. If I'm left to my own devices on weekends, I won't sit down at the computer for very long before thinking of something I want to do or build and springing up out of my chair. So, work party.
The only caveat to the work party was that we had to do double-duty with childcare for J and K's four-year-old son B, so K could run around and take care of other things. B had a somewhat tough time of it - he wanted J's attention and help to play video games, and to fix and eat a snack, and to figure out other fun and interesting things to do (ach, boredom, what luxury!). I wasn't much help, because there was a decided shortage of interesting movies and games on my computer. B also didn't want us to have any involved conversations about implanting electrodes into the brain (subject of J's grant proposal). In some respects, he was right, we should be working more and chatting a bit less (except that writing can get so isolating, and it can be helpful to talk through ideas out loud).
I'm thinking I need to accumulate a small stash of interesting things or ideas to engage with B, or give him something to work on or play with when I'm around. I think he's still at the stage where storybooks are more fun if they're interactive. Do any of you have ideas?
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no subject
Date: 2014-04-01 12:45 am (UTC)Totally reluctant to suggest ipad-based interactive storybooks, but they may address the need.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-01 03:29 am (UTC)When the kid sees you, he gets to look in the box. It is a special box that can only be opened when you are present- he can't have it to keep. Tell him to leave you alone for a while and figure out what the stuff in the box is. Have him tell you a story about it- do the things relate to each other? What are the things for?
Depending on his temperament, this should amuse him (and you) for some time. If he is a more active child, tell him to go look for something that doesn't exist in the yard. I also have good success with that one, but you have to keep coming up with good things that don't exist to send them after.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-01 03:31 am (UTC)Ideas
Date: 2014-04-01 04:08 am (UTC)~mom
Re: Ideas
Date: 2014-04-01 02:24 pm (UTC)