Making Playdough

Ben brought home the playdough sack from school. That meant that it was our turn to make some playdough. Firstly, Ben is so patient. He brings the bag home on monday or maybe it was even friday, but I don't discover the bag until monday afternoon. He goes to school M-W-F. So the plan was to make the playdough together so he could take it back to school on wednesday. Well, because of his siblings' activities- Occupational Therapy, Math Tutoring, Swim lessons, and me helping his siblings with their homework, and piano recital practice, and singing recital practice, and reading practice, and myself and their dad being at meetings for all of tuesday evening - the playdough did not get made by wednesday. Patient Ben did not complain. So finally last night when everyone else was getting ready for bed, and Ben was stalling his bedtime by hanging in the kitchen with me while I worked on my computer, I think of the playdough. M: "Oh, Ben, we have to make your playdough!" B: "Oh, good, everyone else can go to bed and I will stay up and make playdough with mom." (I could see the sparkle of thrill in his eyes. So I think, I have to make this fun and good and a thrilling experience for him.) So, we begin to make the playdough on the stove with him adding the ingredients one at a time. I only had whole wheat flour, so the playdough was becoming a tan color. He begins to add food coloring to make it "red." It turns a gross shade of pinkish orange because of the whole wheat flour. Sweet Ben doesn't complain, but he decides to add some blue to make it purple. It turns a gross shade of dark grayish purple. Smart Ben decides if you can't beat them join them and wants to add green and just make it brown. It turns a disgusting shade of greenish, purplish brownish gray. He does not complain. I tell him it is the color of a dinosaur. He says, "Yes! Because dinosaurs looked like that!" And he is thrilled. Love that kid, and his great attitude. Also don't want to forget: -Last evening Ben picked up a piece of Sweet and Sour chicken without sauce - basically a chicken nugget - and said, "You know, this is actually good. It is good to try new foods."