Saturday, February 24th 2018
“For you: I Love You Mommy ! ! ! ! !”
At Rise: ClaraJane is following Mommy through the corridor as they head towards the car, each dressed in the fashion of the FROZEN movie which they are headed to emcee together.
CJ: I love you Mommy I love you so much you’re the Best Mom Ever!
Mom: !
CJ: I wush there were a thousand of you.
Mom: Woah, honey!
CJ: Then I’d have to write 1,000 love notes a day! [Giggles.]
Mom: [Giggles, because what can I say?]
SCENE.
♥
Friday, February 23rd 2018
Gavin began Comedy Clinic this week the same as he did last summer’s, by proclaiming, “I’m not going back!” after the first day. The just as mysteriously as before, he opened up to it throughout the week and was rearing to go for the Student Show on the final day. We hosted a Cast Party afterwards again too, and wouldn’t you know got to know some more awesome families populated by fabulous kids and people. Huzzah!
And congratulations Boy, for this wonderful experience.
2018-02-23 GLO IMPROV BOSTON STUDENT SHOWCASE [1:42]:
♥
Thursday, February 22nd 2018
Enjoyed a lovely walk around the neighborhood with my son this evening. At first he had wanted to get back home to play video games with friends, but in the end he said, “I’m glad I got to spend this time walking in the snow with my mom.”
2018-02-22 SNOWFALL [20 seconds]:
♥♥
Wednesday, February 21st 2018
1) New Lyrics
In pre-op with Dr. Bucket Buster today I improvise some novel and tasty lyrics. Check it out; The Doo-Dee Song [0:25]:
2) 
Watching You
I marvel as Dr. Bucket Buster plays out an entire fabulous fake war with a young patient behind the nurse’s console. Crumpled paper towels, kleenex, rubber bands, paper clips and lots of threatening glares may have been involved.
3) A Fashion Show to Remember
Gowning up all the way to mask and gloves for a visit with a young lady in Oncology, I jokingly ask Dr. Bucket Bucket Buster, “How do I look?” Thus begins the hospital FASHION SHOW of the century. We take turns as one of us performs an elaborate “runway” look while the other one provides the “music” (bad singing). At one point I am trailing a long paper towel veil and repeatedly bumping into the bathroom door. When finally Dr. Bucket Buster directs me out of harms way I go left and… bump into the patient’s cup of BEADS which she had been using for a craft. Now we are on the floor collecting all the beads into “bead soup;” a slurry with hand sanitizer. We then lay them out on more paper towels to dry, sing a “Bead Drying Song” and all is restored. So that’s how you do THAT.
4) BRT
Learned another term, BRT; Behavioral Response Team. Before visiting a young boy
(my son’s age) we are given a pretty extensive run down on how many obstacles there have been to his getting any clown visits for the past few weeks. But today things look good and the Child Life Specialist starts telling us how he loves BOY humor, I solemnly let out a slow BURP. Without missing a beat she agrees, “Yes absolutely he would love that,” and in we go. He puts us through the paces, impresses us with his amazing finger dance moves and happily rejects most of our dance moves. In context I draw him a “GOLD MEDAL” on a piece of paper, and just as I’m questioning whether we should give anything to this patient, he goes to LICK the ink. We get it away just in time, and he starts, um, picking his nose. When he starts to show us what he found in there I book it out of there post haste. Easiest exit from a patient’s room I’ve had yet. I’m pretty sure he enjoyed the visit.
5) Second That Emotion
We finish the day rocking out on some Smokey Robinson to one of our frequent fliers in dialysis who loves music and some enthusiastic nurses. It’s a great way to finish the day but what I want to know is what other great song choice shall I bring this friend next time??
Another amazing day in this blessed work.
#Hospital Clowning ♥
Tuesday, February 20th 2018
2018-02-20 FROZEN SING-A-LONG WITH THE LADIES [1:09]:
Elsa & Elsa
But first, Breakfast:
Pre-Show Entertainment by Bonaparte:
Post-Show Rendezvous with Miles & Spy Pond (in February):
And lo! There’s something in my sister’s oven:
To be continued…
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Saturday, February 17th 2018
I ask the kids if I should get rid of this t-shirt. It’s navy blue with a flying heart on it. I like it it but it doesn’t really fit anymore (a-hem). They like it too, and my son offers to try it on. “How does this look?” he asks.
“It’s awesome, but honestly,” I say, “Because it’s been worn by me, it looks like it’s supposed to fit a woman.”
He looks in the mirror, “Oh yeah, I see what you mean.” And he takes it off. “I mean, there’s nothing wrong with that,” he says, “It’s just, I want to be recognized for the gender that I am.”
Be still my Liberal Snowflake Heart. My Woke Son strikes again. Praise be.
♥
Saturday, February 17th 2018
We kick off February Break messing around with a photo app in bed, and the results are IN.
And the winner is:
Flashcat
And Most Honorable Mention:
Manmeat
♥♥♥♥
Thursday, February 15th 2018
1) Therapy Dogs
One of the hazards of hospital clowning is crossing paths with therapy dogs. I say ‘hazard’ because I love animals so much and when I ran into Cooper today I came unglued. Look at that face! I could gaze into his eyes all day. We were about to enter a patient’s room but first I had to toot my kazoo and squeak and juggle and stuff for Cooper, whose soulful eyes were full of awe. Be still my heart; he was my most enthusiastic audience yet this morning.
2) The Greatest Show on Earth
I have never seen a child fall harder for one of my partners than little 3 y/o Simon did today for Doc Skeeter. At first he wasn’t feeling too hot; just hanging out in his mama’s arms. Before long he warmed up a little, then Doc offered up a dazzling array of silly noises and ridiculous dance moves. I did not know Doc Skeeter’s face and bald head could double as a whole percussion section, but it does. Little Simon got quite the workout first giggling in his mom’s arms, then following us down the hall as we played and danced for him walking for PT. That smile alone must have given his face quite a workout. One of those smiles that gives me the paradox feeling for having made OUR day at least as much as we made his.
3) EOL
Next we were asked to avoid a certain part of the hallway because a patient had just passed away and the family was grieving. We had seen the note “EOL” by the patient’s name but hadn’t realized it means “End of Life.” The kid was 11 years old and on his 3rd day in the hospital. And while I’m getting used to being around children with all kinds of illness at work and then my own healthy ones at home… any child at EOL is not something I ever want to get used to, much less when they are close in age.
4) Electrify the Baby
We dazzled a baby whose eyes were so wide in amazement and whose mind was totally blown that this could even be happening. TWO giant silly colorful grownups singing, dancing and making silly noises; are you KIDDING ME?!?
5) A Rose at Any Age
F
ound a 13 year old reading a book and pretty bored. In the past I would have been unsure of myself around such a wonderful creature but I was frankly just happy to meet him, and finally comfortable with NOT KNOWING and just BEING. Ditto with another 18 year old kid and his mother. I mean, we were plenty dumb and hopefully entertaining too, but I mainly just feel privileged just to connect with these young adults in the hospital for no other reason than they are a young humans in the hospital, and we are in the precise unique position to do so. I doubt I can express exactly what I mean. I can only say it is a profound privilege.
6) Docs Who Fartalot
For some reason, all our humor seemed to swirl around the toilet for our last visit of the day, a 12 year old girl. It was as if all the farts we held in that day came out for this poor girl, except that of course she loved it. Sometimes farts are just what the clown doctor orders. Her face and smile are fart-melted into my memory.
7) The Name Song
First with Keegan in a room and then with an Andrew outside the cafeteria today, I improvised a useful little ditty. Hopefully it’s a keeper and here it goes:
2018-02-15 A SONG ABOUT YOUR NAME [1:54]:
And that’s all I have to say about that.
♥
Monday, February 12, 2018 – continued
Him: “This is so old school and original, I love it!”
Me: Booyah baby!
After school Gavin put in a good effort trying to stay mad at me. But bless him, he couldn’t. I teased him a little on failing to stay mad at me, we had a good laugh, and I told him how proud I am of him.
Because of his cousins’ birthday, we were picking up some party items at the dollar store. Soon he found a toy and said, “I know this is violent but I was wondering if we could get it?” It was an old fashioned CAP GUN. Hell yes.
From what I understand, ACTUAL old fashioned toy gun play is healthy, normal and not desensitizing to violence. It is all still within the realm of the child’s own imagination. I reminded him how proud I am of his great attitude today and laid down the whopping $2.10 for both the gun AND ammo.
Whoo boy! Imagine his surprise and thrill when he shot it off at home and it actually goes BLAM! A little smoke came out and it really smells of gunpowder. Real combustion! This is living.
And, no, I never thought I’d be so happy to see my Boy play with a toy gun.
2018-02-08 Boy + Cap Gun = Instant Imagination! [44 seconds]:
And since that time he has been playing a REAL game with his friends (and even chose “Spot It,” one of the identification games recommended by Harvard to foster inhibitory control, lol, don’t tell him). He also made sure to share and evaluate the new progress rubric he and his teacher developed to keep us parents in the loop around his work in school.
He has also done some of the school work he needs to catch up on (a report on Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman, if you can believe that), and is now playing ball with friends.
Please excuse my reveling in the wonderful wonderment that is Wonderful Boy!
Gavin’s School Accountability Rubric
♥
Monday, February 12th 2018
Please Note: NOT AN EXPERT.
I’m not an expert in childhood brain development, but I know enough to get that unmitigated access to video games overdevelops the amygdyla (“Reptile Brain”) and under-develops the pre-frontal cortex (responsible for executive function, decision making and self-regulation).
And today in class I learned there is a difference between natural childhood play with death and dying vs. digital virtual death and violence on a graphic screen. Duh, right?
‘Cuz like, I mean, a persons BRAIN is still DEVELOPING into their early twenties, and a child’s brain is not equipped to make the same distinctions an adult brain can.
BTW: I’m not talking -or even worried- about whether violent video games cause violence. I don’t honestly think that because my innocent baby was virtually robbing a jewelry store last night that he is headed for a life of crime or has a morality problem.
I am talking about the impact of graphic -and yes violent- video games on BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.
So by coincidence -or not- at the same time as I find my boy committing virtual crimes, I also learn of his lack of fulfillment of some expectations in SCHOOL.
So one Mind Matters class, one brain development coach consultation, one teacher meeting, and one tete-a-tete with Daddy later, I find Boy at school lunch in the cafeteria. I approach him cautiously so as to not embarrass him in front of friends and he throws his arms up and pulls my head in close for a vigorous hug. (Phew. Perhaps my last for a while though.)
I let him know there’s good news and bad news and ask if he wants it now or after school. He says now, what’s the bad news? I tell him they’re intertwined: that I’ve spoken with his teacher and with Daddy and we’ve come up with a plan for him to work his way back to Roblox.
At first he takes the news well, but then says, “OK, here’s my counter argument. At least 50% of these boys here all play World of Warcraft and Call of Duty, and those are totally violent and gory!”
And *I* said: “Yes! That is absolutely what is happening in our culture; I agree! It’s not your fault! What I want to know is how many of their parents are taking parenting CLASSES or are learning about HEALTHY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT?!”
I don’t mean to brag, but; shoot, score win. In parenting as in life, it’s rare when one knows exactly what to say or can articulate a teflon argument.
I acknowledged that it must suck, to have the parents he has, but them’s the breaks!
My son’s beautiful open loving face turned to disappointment, sadness and despair. He discarded the rest of his lunch and put his head down on the table, refusing to speak to me. I retreated and watched from afar as he later walked right past me -twice- with a cold steely indifference refusing to acknowledge my continued existence.
And while I take no pleasure in his unhappiness, I do take comfort in its being a sure sign that I am doing something right.
Poor kid.
Poor poor deprived kid. (Not.)
Buckle up as we introduce more Mindfulness, clapping games and -horror!- board games.
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