Superman writes about reading, children and creativity

I have had a busy week observing family relationships, children at play, children reading and discussing the pros and cons of using reading as a reward for good behaviour!

Firstly, what defines a ‘family’ –  is it a group of parents and children living in the same household, or  a family - mum/dad and children, or is a family one that consists of parents of either sex, or of both sexes, with children. Camping opposite us over the weekend we watched 2 guys with twin 2 year old girls camping. The little girls had 2 daddies-who they referred to as daddy and they all slept together in the one tent.  Daddy1 – the daddy who did the majority of care – he did the potty training and put the satin boxer shorts on the little girls and yelled at the little girls to stop whining.  Emptying the potty consisted of throwing the wees down the side of the tent or putting the number 2’s into the rubbish bin. They all kept happy on their baccy- Muz says this is the beginning of a nursery rhyme!.....

We have been watching a ‘desert village’ unfold on the beach.  Each day a group of children from the camp next to us have been creating a desert – all from recycled materials. Built at the high tide mark, this creation has lasted all week. Brenda gave a ‘creator’ a flower to plant. The ‘desert village’ is now abandoned – stormy weather has sent the family’s home…..

As you know I love to read and be read to, but when does reading become a reward. Well, apparently when you have a child who does not drink enough fluid – finish the drink bottle and as a reward the child can read Harry Potter. We discussed this over a roast meal with our friend John, Brenda and Murray, and we concluded

·         As an adult the child will associate fluid with reading – drinking, then think – now I can read or will the child drink too much so they can read

·         Will the child come to hate reading – because they dislike drinking fluid

·         Or will the child have a hang-up about drinking and reading – growing to dislike both

·         Or is it any different from withdrawing other privileges like computer games or ipad usage, Or mobile phone usage

Either way it is sad to see a child who is passionate about reading, unable to do so, unless he has had enough fluid that day. The reason behind the fluid intake is medical.



John and his oven he made from a 9kg gas bottle



and the end result....

One hot day, we saw some children holding a snake – a man had found it on the beach. It is a python –non venomous and they live in the undergrowth – next to where we are camping.





 And on that same day we saw a ‘snoozing’ kiwi.

Brenda has been busy making a rope coiled basket from beach rubbish. The base is a jandal.