My daughter and I had the afternoon at home together today and I was hoping for some good father daughter time. We went outside to climb a tree (I would watch, lift, and catch according to her plan) when I noticed about 7 school age Papua New Guinean children sitting very near our front yard.
I asked my daughter "would you like to see if they want to play? Why don't you go get the basketball."
Part of my desire for my kids to learn Tok Pisin is that they spend time with non-english speaking national children, and make friends.
Before long they were very quietly and haphazardly playing basketball. So I wandered over, got them in line, and each one got a turn. They were really good! Everyone got at least 5 baskets each, and before too long there were smiles and people were starting to get comfortable.
So I decided to step back and disappear (read - watch from indoors).
Soon my daughter felt comfortable enough to invite them to the sandbox, and the swing.
I knew it wouldn't take long before she was organizing them and they were all chattering and having fun.
She ran in a moment ago to get snacks for them (in the form of bananas).
As I look out now, I hear them all talking, and my daughter instructing them as they sit inside the sandbox together. I think she has assigned them all numbers and they are taking turns building things. I'm not sure. But they seem to be having fun, and my daughter seems to have shed her momentary shyness.
