The following is excerpted from "In the end..." from Before Five in a Row. © 1997 by Jane Claire Lambert, all rights reserved.

In the end, being together and having fun is what is really important. So go out and fly a kite on a windy day, have a picnic on a warm day, or play with your child on a rainy day (not during lightning storms!). Sail paper, aluminum or wooden boats in the puddles or the rivulets that flow down the street. Jump in the puddles. Who can make a bigger splash? Laugh and sing. Taste the rain. Take pans outside and let the showers fill them up. Recite the poem "Happiness" by A.A. Milne that begins, "John had Great Big Waterproof Boots on; John had a Great Big Waterproof Hat ..." When you've ended your play say, "Rain, rain, go away. Come again some other day..." Then, finish your playtime with a warm bath, soft towel and a good duck story like Mrs. Duck's Lovely Day, Vivienne Blake, 1955, Rand McNally & Co. (Not in print at this time. Try your library.) All in all, it will have been a nice day for ducks, and for your family!

Remember, there is great treasure to be found and cherished in these shared experiences. A.A. Milne wrote a poem called "Come Out With Me" in which the young person makes a number of exciting observations. The child wants to share them with the adults in his life, but he is having difficulty getting anyone to give him some time. One of the lines of this poem poses a good question: "All of them say 'Run along! I'm busy as can be...Run along! There's a little darling!' If I'm a little darling, why don't they come and see?"

The stories and activities included in Before Five in a Row are carefully chosen so that your child will have plenty of time to spend with you. Time to grow, and laugh, and love. Time for you to listen to him and be understanding. Plenty of time for you to help color his childhood years golden!

Thank you for using Before Five in a Row. If you have enjoyed it, please tell your friends.

Jane Claire Lambert
April, 1997