Chicken Dance For The Soul

Daycare is hard work. Far harder than most people would ever anticipate. There are days that you just want to run outside and scream at the top of your lungs. There are days when you wish you could just crawl back into bed then have to deal with it all. But every once in a while you have those moments that you want to cherish and never see end. Today, I was fortunate to experience a few of those moments.

Thursdays are a light day for me. There are no babies in care. Just older kids. The youngest child I have on Thursday is nearly three. Thursday is known around here as 'Muffin Day'. The fourth day of every week is dedicated to a trip to the family farm store/bakery near our house. The kids love it. Everyone gets to pick out their choice of freshly baked, and still warm, muffins. We also pick up some fruit of the day - usually a special treat, something out of season and more expensive. Today it was watermelon. Then we wander over to grab some fresh ginger cookies as part of an afternoon snack. Yes, Thursdays are our nutritionally-void, baked snack days. Hands down the favourite day of the week.

We paid for our purchases and the kind lady who works the cash said her weekly hello to us, asked us how we were all doing and gave the kids a sticker. The shopping done and the bill paid we walked to the car. Half way to the car the sky opened up and it was pouring. Huge, billowing clouds letting lose big fat raindrops. I was futile to run. We all stood there laughing as the rain soaked us to the skin. When we had all had enough we piled in the car to go home and change. What a fun time it was!

I am a music lover. The Ipod is always on shuffle at our house. If you ask any guest who has ever spent time in my home what the music genre was they would tell you that it includes everything from Johnny Cash, to Guns 'N Roses, to The Trans Siberian Orchestra. We love it all. Today, after changing in to our warm, dry clothes the Ipod was playing along and blaring from the stereo came The Chicken Dance. Ah, The Chicken Dance. Is there any other dance that can make you smile just hearing those first few notes? All the kids ran over to me, started flapping their arms, shaking their behind, grabbing hands and dancing in circles during the chorus. We had a great time. It was while we were dancing in circles, hand in hand, seeing their sheer joy and total loss of inhibitions that I realized had I been at any other job today I would surely have missed out on this moment.

I'm not a complicated person. And I also know a good thing when I see it. So, yeah, I'll take standing in a thunder storm getting soaking wet to come home and do The Chicken Dance. Sounds like a great day at the office!



For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca