homework

At our house we all do homework. Even if you don't really have homework from school, as the mom, I come up with a homework project so that we are all sitting at the table together doing homework. Even Four who is only three insists on doing her "homework." Now don't go thinking I'm some crazed woman who is making her kids lives miserable. These homework assignments that I come up with, when necessary, are just something that the child needs extra help with. It might be writing spelling words 3 times each, practicing writing their name, sorting letters and numbers, or studying words from a different language. They get to use dry erase boards, crayons, markers and fun paper. The kids prefer doing my homework over their school homework.

Back to what we were talking about. Tonight we were all sitting at the table doing our homework. "All" didn't last very long as One's homework was to read the first three chapters of a book that we are going to be studying now that we're all into the homeschool thing:)... She quickly asked to be excused to my bedroom where she could concentrate on her book. I didn't even realize until she made that request that Three and Four were singing. Noise doesn't bother me too much. Unless it's the TV. Then it drives me nuts. But tons of kids, animals, music? Bring it on. I will admit that every once in a while I do start to get an overload and have to have it quiet. But this usually only lasts a couple hours. And I really only get like that about once a month. So, even though One pointed out that the kids were singing, I didn't even notice what they were singing for another half hour. And then I wished I had noticed earlier because it was pretty funny.

I didn't grow up playing this game, nor was I introduced to it the first two times I attended our church's girls camp (camp for young women ages 12-18) as an adult leader. But the year I dressed up like a crazy lady super hero this was the game of choice:

Sally Walker

If you haven't played, especially at girls camp, you are seriously missing out. This is even fun to play with the bishopric (male leaders of our church who attend camp to, hopefully, provide a much needed hormonal balance).

One person is Sally Walker. She stands in the middle of everyone else who is standing around her in a circle. Everyone else begins to sing the following song while Sally Walker dances around the inside of the circle:

"Little Sally Walker, walkin' down the street,

Didn't know what to do 'til she stopped in front of me."

At this time "Sally" stops in front of one person in the surrounding circle. The group continues:

"She said, 'Hey girl, do that thing, do that thing. Now switch!

Hey girl, do that thing, do that thing. Now switch!'"

On the first 'hey girl do that thing do that thing now switch' the person "Sally" stopped in front of has to bust a move. You know, a dance move. This is where it gets funny. Picture a 12 year old girl doing some funky (yet modest, remember this is a church sponsored camp) move that her forty-something leader has to imitate. On the flip side of this, picture a forty-something leader bustin' out the running man and the 12 year old trying to imitate her. Pretty entertaining. Mostly if you are the one watching. (FYI: If you are the leader, you better use the bathroom before you start playing this game. There's a lot of skipping/jogging around the circle and bouncy dance moves that really make you need to tinkle. ya know??) On the second 'hey girl do that thing do that thing now switch' the first Sally has to mimic the dance move. Then the two switch places and there is a new "Sally." hahaha... great cardio.

Back to the kitchen table. Out of nowhere my Three and Four, I realize, are singing this song, "Sally Walker," as they plug along with their homework. Only both of them have a couple of the words wrong. And they're both wiggling their little bodies along with the rhythm of the song. Pretty funny.

Three is singing:

"Hey, Soul Sister, walking down the street..."

Four is singing:

"Hey yittle girl, walkin' down the stweet. Didn't know what to do til she stopped in fwont of me. She said do dat fing do dat fing do dat fing and switch!"

I guess maybe you had to be there.