Well, I do a pretty astounding job of documenting Ida and Miki using this free technology that Google will one day turn on me and then own me, and I even do a halfway decent job of helping to raise them, when I'm in town. But the team at Tumbleweeds far outstrips me. The sad part of this is that the many pieces of documentation they send aren't available to a wider readership. I thought I'd share this transcript, taken by Amy Williams, of what happens over there:
Doctor, what on the earth are you doing? 10/6/10
Elsie: I have a big parascope [handle of jump
rope].
Ida: The green tape [ribbon she pulled off of
hula hoop ] is for very sick people [balls].
E: Ida, they can lay down on the pad [door mat
placed on wooden table].
IR: [yells]
E: Doctor, what on the earth are you doing?
IR: What do doctors do?
E: No…..
IR: Where’s my telescope?
E: Here it is [hands her the jump rope]! Now,
where’s mine… [looks around, finds a large
bamboo stick, and brings it over] Now, Ida,
we’re not putting it [the telescope] on its mouth,
we’re putting it on its belly.
IR: I’m listening to its heart.
E: Beeeep. Beeeeep. Beeep.
IR: [to ball/sick person] You had some yucky
brussel sprouts.
E: Ok, now it’s my turn with the saw [wooden
slat], and you say, “What on the earth are you
doing!?!” Saaaaaaw.
IR: What on the earth are you doing!?!
E: Saaaaaw. Now you tie her up with the rope
[ribbon from hula hoop], and then I’ll put this
very painful stuff on her. But don’t tie over her
mouth.
[This whole time, Issa is sitting quietly nearby,
peeling ribbon off of the hula hoop and seeming
to listen carefully.]
IR: Ok, not over his mouth. There! She threw
up! Ok, so if you put that stuff on her again,
she’ll do a biiiiiiiig throw up.
E: But you only do it one time unless you’re
very sick.
IR: She’s very sick.
E: But I forgot that you can’t have any blood in
your body, so I… we’ll have to crush her.
Elsie and Ida run over to the slide. Issa follows
closely, still carrying the hula hoop. By the time
I catch up, Elsie and Ida are going down the
slide over and over again on their bellies,
head/arms first. Although they didn’t seem to
notice me documenting them before, as I arrive,
Elsie gives me an update:
E: We’ve got to crush the babies.
IR: We’re crushing our babies. They don’t like
it.
E: [to Ida now, my update over] Yeah, but it’s
very good for them. Then we’re gonna make
them arrive again, and they won’t be sick any
more.
Issa starts going down the slide in the same way.
E: Here’s a stroller [wheelbarrow] for your
baby [to Ida].
IO: [her first interaction] Here comes another
stroller [wheelbarrow].
E: Issa, that’s for me.
IO: I got it just for you.
IR: There’s something in the way [of the
stroller]!
IO: I can it it out of the way! [moves the bike
that was blocking Ida].
E: My babies that are sick have to go in little
bouncers.
Elsie, Ida, and Issa (the first two with
wheelbarrows with balls) run towards the back
yard.
It’s several minutes before I make it back there.
By then, they’re walking away from the stumps,
and Issa seems to be fully integrated into the
play.
E: Issa, let’s leave a baby here and do yoga.
IO: Hey guys, we’re gonna do yoga ballet.
IR: I’m gonna do yoga!
Negotiations/Control of the play—everyone has leadership moments; everyone has following moments.
Issa enters play so intentionally: at first copying actions quietly, then offering materials to support the play. And
only once accepted into the play/acknowledge by the others, does she begin to test out taking control of the play.
Interesting perceptions: telescope to listen to the heart in the belly; What on the earth are you doing; needing to
tie a patient down to give her painful stuff; doctors repeatedly needing to do painful things to patients (i.e. giving
painful stuff, crushing to get the blood out) for the good of the patient; you only throw up one time unless your
very sick;
