The changing face of family fun

William is the youngest in our family by quite a long shot. He is still at primary school while his siblings are in their twenties. In fact one actually has a full time job, having finished a double degree last semester. This has many advantages for our youngest in that the older three spoil him terribly. This is particularly apparent at Christmas where they have stuck rigidly to the $20 and under rule for the parents but clearly tripled it for William.

William has always been addicted to toys. Even in the supermarket where other kids beg and cry for chocolate bars and lollies Will used to sob for matchbox cars or whatever little plastic plaything caught his eye. We couldn’t put our presents on the tree for years before the big day lest he whip them off. So watching him open up a longed for toy with shining eyes, huge smile, exclamations of “I love this one” is a rewarding experience that his siblings can’t resist.

There are lots of upsides to older siblings actually. Trips to the zoo or mini golf or the movies are regularly on offer from someone so what’s to complain about being the only child in an adult family? “We never do anything fun as a family” is a familiar whine after William returns from staying with families where the siblings are more age appropriate. “But we get together a lot, I counter. “We all went out for a curry dinner last week.” William looks sadly at me, “I’ve got no one to play with at home – it’s no fun.”

He has a good point and I feel a bit sad too. I’m remembering in an instant the huge blanket huts of the past, the plays performed, the shared picnics and even a year with the three of them sleeping in the same bedroom. The rosy glow fades for a moment and I think about all William’s Lego he’s carefully set up with his dad and which is now displayed downstairs.

“You are right, William, I say, but back then Lego was always getting broken up by someone who wanted to play a different game with it or eat it in the case of the baby.” William looked horrified at the very thought. The moment is broken by the arrival of Tess the puppy and the two of them bound outside tussling over a slobbery tennis ball.

I think how family fun is probably a little different in each and every family. Just as families are all a little (or a lot) different from each other.  Family fun probably just requires a good dollop of love, goodwill and time spent together as a starting point. William certainly has plenty of that at least. And I prefer this topic to the one after his first week at school…” Mummy why are you so old?”

Julie