Six Children Five and Under Survive Afternoon Together

Summer 2007
By Chip Chipheardt

No one was more surprised than the lone adult in charge when six children survived an afternoon in a suburban backyard today. Iris (2), Bella (5), Sophia (5), Charlie (4), Rex (2) and Elijah (3) spent an afternoon together playing in a kiddie pool, painting pictures, running through the sprinkler, giving baths to stuffed animals, climbing on the swing set, playing house in a tent, drinking fruit punch, and eating all the snacks available in the house.

All this fun occured under the supervision of one woman who 15, 10, maybe even 5 years ago would have laughed out loud if told she would not only be put in charge of so many children, but would even enjoy it.

The large gang of children emerged from the afternoon with only one injury between them. "The funny part was that none of the kids got hurt when one would have expected, for example, when all six of them were sliding from way up in the playhouse, down into the pool. . . or when they were swinging each other too high on the hammock. . . or maybe when they were playing Monster Freeze Tag. Instead, poor little Rex hurt himself when he was just sitting on my lap - he keeled right over for some strange reason and bit his lip." The quick thinking, future paramedic, Sophia, quickly applied an Elmo ice pack to the injury and the crisis was soon over.

Other than a few minor scuffles over the control of the garden hose, a climate of peace and cooperation prevailed. "There seems to be a group-listening mentality. Sometimes I have trouble keeping just my two girls from fighting with one another for an afternoon, but today the big ones looked out for the little ones and everyone actually listened to me."

An anoymous neighbor reported seeing the woman in charge actually sit in the backyard hammock with a magazine for almost ten uninterrupted minutes. "I didn't think something like could ever happen in the world," the neighbor whispered, "Please, let's not talk about it or it may never happen to me."

The lone adult in charge waxed philosophical after the parents of the extra children reclaimed them late in the afternoon. "I love all those darn kids," the astounded woman said, "My own two, plus the extras. They can come over anytime."