Fab activity to remain sitting on the sofa while your children get wildly excited and make you feel like a superb parent

[FrannyandZooey]

We have tied a basket on a piece of rope and ds has hung it out of the bedroom window. I am down below (on sofa) and have a stash of things next to me which I am putting into the basket (out of the window) when he lowers it down. He then pulls it up and shrieks with delight.

So far I have put snacks, a letter with his name on and a drawing of us inside, a recorder, some stickers and a notebook, some playmobil people, etc etc etc

the apple came a cropper, but otherwise all is well and he is SO EXCITED and keeps shouting "Thank you mummy oh thank you!"

[Dropdeadfred]

oops f&Z for a moment there I thought you were going to send a cat up!!!

Make his tasks longer to give you more space between deliveries..or add food to keep him quiet for 5 mins?

[prettybird]

Sounds great. Couldn't do it at our place, as ds' room has a dormer window which is set too far back to be able drop a basket down from.

[FrannyandZooey]

LOL Lucykate I sent the phone up, having rung dp on it first

I thought it was hilarious - ds very non plussed to hear Daddy's voice coming from the basket

[mud]

who pissed in my ornflakes - what a horrible expression [shock[

[FlameBatfink]

I thought it was a great expression

Maybe I'm just crass

[BettySpaghetti]

It reminds me of when I was a child and used to torment my brother by dangling his favourite teddy out of the upstairs window so it would dangle in front of the living room window.

It really upset him ....so I did it again and again [evil betty emoticon]

[CatIsSleepy]

made me laugh too flameB
we are uncouth
(not as bad as Ab though )

[MamaG]

psst franny

[FrannyandZooey]

You crass lot

ruddy nest of vipers

[FlameBatfink]

Oooh I like uncouth

Reminds me of when I announce that I am a laydee and DH sniggers at me

[ProfYaffle]

'Who pissed in your cornflakes' is uncouth. In our house we refer to pissing on chips. Much more civilised.

[CatIsSleepy]

oh very classy Prof

[FlameBatfink]

Why would Mud have been having chips that early in the morning though?

Would pissing in earl grey be better?

[robinpud]

sounds fab Franny- I used to stand ds on large upstairs window sill and let him walk up and down surveying the fields and slobbering on windows.

Are you too young to remember when they made a chair lift for Barbie on Blue Peter- it was my best acheievment. Made it from half a plastic bottle ( no double sided sticky tape!) and hung it from bedroom window and transported Barbie down to garden gate.

[bookthief]

We used to spend hours chucking Action Man out of an upstairs window attached to parachutes made of various materials. Never, ever managed to get any result other than him plunging to his certain death.

Also balloons filled with water until my mum taught us how to make origami paper ones

Surely your windows are either safe or not safe, and if not safe it won't matter whether you "allow" your kids to play near them or not - still dangerous.

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

If I do follow Franny's example and play this with my children, and they fall out of the window and die, who shall I sue? Mumsnet as a whole, or just Franny?

[Charlee]

It sounds fun to me Franny!

It could be dangerous but you also are a very sensible lady and you obviously know your kids so i wouldn't be worried!

Have fun doing it and don't let other try and dampen your spirits!

[SoupDragon]

Yes, playing by windows is dangerous but the point is that you teach your child about the dangers. Keeping them away from them doesn't do them any favours whatsoever. Teaching them how to live safely with dangerous things does.

Weused to parachute action men on silk scarves too. And climb out onto the flat roof through a window. We climbed trees, built towers out of scaffold poles and got pushed in the pond. We even played with an air rifle shooting cans and apples in the garden.

All 3 of us survived. Probably because we knew what we were doing was dangerous and behaved accordingly. Which is all due to how our parents brought us up and taught us.

[AbRoller]

Indeed - cornflakes, how very uncouth
Chips? - definately better but as Flame said, not in the morning so Earl Grey it is!

Cat you brat. You're just as bad as me

Anyway Franny, sounds like you and ds had lots of fun, good for you (ps, whilst being nosy I discovered you know how to make playdough - any chance you could tell me how to make it? Dd would love that when she gets home from school. TIA)

Abs

[mistypeaks]

Well said soupdragon.

[EffiePerine]

Thanks for the wnacky basket document Franny: will get my mother onto it for DS's first birthday (keeps her busy and lessens chances of more Toys With Batteries)

[EffiePerine]

(and I am taking notes on all this stuff plus the playdough for when DS is older)

[niceglasses]

I too have a lush one.

Lie on your bed. Give them a selection of lotions and potions you don't mind them using - get them to play beauty salons or doctors or whatever. You get to lie down! Its quite relaxing! Ok you sometimes have to limit the amnt of lotion unless you want to look like a chip, but hey is ace!

I regularly do this if I have a hangover. Can last up to half an hour.........and I have 3 of the little blighters.

[stealthsquiggle]

Franny - that sounds like a really cool game but wouldn't work in our house as DS's window is not safe (and is on the 2nd floor) and anyway I would have to climb on the kitchen worksurface to reach the only window which is below it!

Now considering Kathy's lift for playmobil people idea. Do you think they would mind having to change lifts, empire state building-style, to get up to the top?

[Kimellajoe]

Hi all, Im new here. Is it always like this in here? Should I bring my handbag for the fights!! lol