Is there a difference between an obsession and an addiction?

Perhaps, she is simply revelling in a short-lived pleasure. "In the Night Garden" is a pleasure, whether it is short-lived remains to be seen.

Her absolute favourite character is IgglePiggle, She can sing along when Derek Jacobi sings the IgglePiggle song: Yes, my name is Igglepiggle Iggle piggle wiggle wiggle piggle Yes my name is Igglepiggle Iggle piggle wiggle wiggle woo! Igglepiggle doesn't live in the Night Garden. He travels there by boat each evening, on his way to sleep. With great gusto, she can name all the characters: Upsy-Daisy, Makka Pakka, the Tombliboos, the Pinky-Ponk and the Ninky-Nonk, The Tittifers, and the Pontypines. Even the Haa-Hoos.

Can an 18 month old child have an addiction? Perhaps not. I shall think of it as a short-lived obsession that brings her immense pleasure. I have allowed her to watch two episodes on my computer, but her Mummy would prefer that she stick with the books and the CD and allow her imagination to do all the rest.

The Ties that Bind

My oldest grand-daughter is four and a half. She goes to Pre-school three days a week, spends one day with Grandad, and the fifth day with Ma - me! Our day together is Friday, and we do all sorts of things: drawing, craft construction, lego, gardening. reading, and now beading. Actually, the beading is a precursor to "introductory sewing". Last Friday we had 5 or so (clean) yoghurt tubs, and in each was a graded example of items to string, some big with big holes, and others more fiddley. The strings varied from shoe-laces, through plastic, to wool, and embroidery thread. We were at it for just over 90 minutes. Not bad concentration for someone < 5 years of age.

DIY play school

Come over to the CDPB Face Book page and join in voting for a September Theme Day. The choices are: people watching; roadworks; or, flower boxes. Voting closes Friday 24th August.

There's a bear in there, and a chair as well. There are people with games, and stories to tell. Open wide, come inside. It's Play School.

Money bags

I have sixpence Jolly, jolly sixpence; I have sixpence To last me all my life. I have tuppence to lend And, tuppence to spend And, tuppence to take home to my wife.