Concentration: 17-Month-Old Version

When Kyle and Owen were Meera’s age they loved this “game” that I invented for them: pushing wooden popsicle sticks through the slight slit of an old Clorox Wipes container. I can remember spending what seemed like hours upon hours sitting on the floor with K & O, watching them — with full concentration — working hard to carefully push popsicle stick after popsicle stick into that plastic container. A couple of weekends ago, while digging for “new toys” for Meera in the big bin of hand-me-downs in the basement, I found that old baby game. I had forgotten all about it, but I knew immediately that Meera would love it. She sat on my lap while Owen taught her how to do it. Since then I have spent hours upon hours sitting on the floor with Meera, watching her — with full concentration — working hard to carefully push popsicle stick after popsicle stick into that plastic container.