A Different Kind of Fun

The Chihuly exhibit at Cheekwood was beautiful.  It was lovely to see glass art that mimics nature installed at a botanical garden.  It enhanced both the gardens and the glass to see them together.  My girls had so much fun - fun playing with friends, fun taking pictures of the glass art, fun running around the gardens.  I had fun, too - hanging out with women that I don't always get to see and seeing my favorite Cheekwood installation so far (even better than the fairy tale houses).

I also realized that coming to Cheekwood with a larger group is a different experience than bringing just my daughters or my daughters plus a friend or two.  Walking through the gardens with a larger group requires more coordination, more patience, a slower pace and more compromise.  All of this is fine with me, but was challenging for my 8 year old, B.  The very things that I love most about her - her bold spirit, her curiosity, her independence - make it difficult for her to navigate group dynamics. 

Actually, it makes it difficult for me to navigate group dynamics with her along.  She just does things the way she always does them, regardless of who is with her.  Therein lies the problem.  While I don't mind letting B walk along the edge of the pond, leap from one side to the other or dip her fingers and toes into to water, she's not the ideal role model for a two year old.  When we're at Cheekwood with a smaller group, it's easier to manage B's desire to leap from one thing to the next.  But with a larger group, it's tough to keep up with her.  She's not being bad.  She's not being disobedient.  She's just curious at a faster pace than most of us.

As I decompressed from a fun, but tiring day, it occurred to me that learning to navigate group dynamics is yet another benefit of the Fun Jar.  It helps a strong and curious child like B begin to understand that sometimes in order to be around others, you have to let someone else lead once in a while.  B would tell you that she doesn't want to be a leader and I've told her that's too bad because she is one anyway.  The difference is that she leads because she knows exactly what she wants, not because she cares whether anyone else follows.  There's value in that, without a doubt.  I love that she knows her heart and follows it.  But I want her to be comfortable in a group.  I want those in a group with her to be comfortable.  So it's wise to spend part of our summer with new and old friends learning the art of compromise while admiring the art around us.

Chihuly at Cheekwood on Friday, July 9

I must admit I was all set to draft a different post.  One of our favorite Fun Jar activities for several years has been berry picking.  For the first time this year, we picked strawberries in late May and it made me excited to pick blackberries and blueberries in July, as we have for the last four or five years. And then I remembered that I have no kitchen.  No kitchen sink to wash berries in.  No countertops to hold a blender for whipping up some blackberry lemonade.  My heart sank.  I paused mid-post and took a bit of a breather.

Should we pick berries anyway?  How important is it to the girls?  I checked the weather.  Friday's forecast calls for a high of 86 (relatively mild this time of year) with a chance of thunderstorms.  We could go to Cheekwood instead to see the Chihuly installation...  that's been high on my priority list, but the weather and our availability haven't worked together.  But again I asked myself what the girls would prefer.  I was an art history major in college - I can't wait to see this exhibit - but is it how they would choose to spend Friday?

Apparently it is. I checked with Anna and Bekah about berry picking versus Chihuly and they chose Chihuly.  I'm both relieved and sad.  I do want fresh berries, even if I have no idea what I'll do with them once I have them...  Instead, we'll spend Friday doing something equally fun - seeing fabulous glass art by the man who is the most talented glass artist alive.  Here are the details:

What: Chihuly at Cheekwood

When: 10 - mid afternoon (we'll bring a picnic lunch)

Where: Park in the first lot on your left or in the top lot by the Frist Learning Center, where you can grab a Backpack Adventure kid that up to three kids can use. E-mail me at shannontruss@yahoo.com for my cell number if you don't have it because it will probably be easiest to find each other if you call when you arrive.

Cost: $15 adults, $8/child ages 6 - 17; memberships are $75 and the CitiPass book has a coupon ($10 off?  $20 off?  I can't remember) that can be used for new members

If you aren't familiar with Cheekwood, I can tell you that it's a place I love because it's not a "stay on the path" kind of botanical gardens.  My girls get to really explore while they're there and I don't feel like I have to constantly tell them to stop touching.  We all tend to leave tired but in a "we had a great time" kind of way, not a "wow - that was no fun for anyone" kind of way.

If you aren't familiar with Dale Chihuly and his art, check out the Cheekwood link or go to this site that has some great images of the art you'll see.  I also recommend the artist's site, which has great images of his art.

And if you're more interested in picking berries than seeing glass art (no hard feelings), here's a berry farm that looks great. If you go on a day other than Friday, let us know.  Maybe I'll just wash berries in the bathroom sink or something...