Fastelavn is a traditional Danish holiday, for kids. Officially its not until Monday but at the day care centre the little kids celebrated it today (yesterday). Naturally, Freja went as a 'gullit', since she is wild about crocodiles and dinosaurs (all classed by Freja as 'gullit's') and likes to be a gullit when ever possible. Being a gullit involves much roaring and chasing after Dada and Mama, biting them and blowing raspberries on their bellies. Naturally Mama and Dada often themselves are the gullits and chase Freja, who theatrically wails 'Oh No!' and runs away until there is no where left to run any more at which point she deftly turns the tables and becomes the gullit instead. This is kind of cheating so she doesn't always get away with it. Sometimes Dada-gullit picks up Freja-gullit and gobbles her up (with much blowing of raspberries on Freja-gullits belly) or we have a roaring competion.
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Fastelavn involves dressing up (just like Halloween but with less empthasis on scary stuff). There were no less than three princesses at the day care centre, a power ranger (at least I think thats what he was), at least two 'Batman's', a pirate and a football player. Freja was the only gullit and she had on her gullit-suit which Mette had made just the night before. Last year Freja was a bumble-bee but that didn't go down too well since she wouldn't wear the hat with its antenae. This years she was over joyed with her gullit suit even though the tail was kind of clumsy and kept getting in her way. It was fun to see her roaring and stamping and totally showing off even if the other parents were utterly indifferent to her. I sat and played with her and another little girl (who had neither parents nor costume) for about half an hour and I appeared to be the only father who could be bothered to get on the floor. All the other parents sat about drinking coffee and talking to each other and I think I may have been a curious sight as one of the day care staff kept pestering me (and Mette) about drinking coffee; "Are you quite sure you don't want some coffee?"
It could have been that the other Dads were all in suits and I was in a scruffy old army jacket, but I prefer to think that whilst I may not have any money, or good looks, or a half decent health, I can at least play on the floor with my daughter 'the gullit' and any of her friends who aren't scared to death by me... and now I'm the one showing off!
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10 comments:
What's a Gullit?
The only Gullit I know is Ruud Gullit, and I have a hard time imagining the Snoos in a football outfit and dreadlocks...
Well Freja can't figure out complicated words so she mutates them. Croc-o-dile became gul-it, and then when she saw a book with dinosaurs in it, she immedietely made the visual connection... green, scaley with big teeth and reasoned it from there; Gullit!
Thus, Godzilla, gecko's, corcs, dagons and wyzerns are all gullits.
And to make matters even more complicated, anything draconic, but with feathers, like a prehistoric bird, is a 'koolit'.
Koolit being phonetically similar to the Danish word for chicken 'kylling'.
corcs and wyzerns being crocs and wyverns
(Dada's not to hot on complicated names either)
I love it.
Kids are amazing aren't they?
and as for playing on the floor - maybe if more parents did it we wouldn't be in the mess we're in now with the teenage generation roaming our streets.
Play is how children learn to interact with all ages and social groups. And, speaking from experience, it can be fun for adults too!
I love being Freja's Dad. She does this thing where she keeps pointing me out to people and proclaiming 'Thats MY Dad!'
Makes my heart burst every time.
We went swimming today and I ignored the various pains whilst we were there. It was so good to be with Mette and the Snoos. Freja was very clingy though I'm told she isn't usually that bad. She totally refused to go down the slide though she is normally wild about it. I towed her around instead.
Well I think the Gullit is fantastic and I love it
The fact that your on the floor playing not only with Freja but with another child speaks volumes about you my dear brother, makes me prod. But sorry for the kid with out a costume. And maybe all those pains come from not moving around that much for a cupel of years and your suddan start?? lov Philip
Good for you. Get on the floor and play with your children. Be the role model.
It's the same here. So many times, in so many different venue, I'm either climbing through tubes in 3-d mazes or chasing after MiniFeld's friends while the parents are off by themselves yakking, gossipping and clucking amongst themselves. The fact that MiniFeld's an only child makes it more difficult for him to learn how to socialize, so every bit I can do helps. But also, the other kids love it, too.
Of course, by the end of it, I'm exhausted. LOL
Thats the down side of course, The the children like to play with me now, but they are pretty demanding. Last time I had one kid sawing on my leg, another eating my head, one sitting on my chest, and two others giving me things, all whilst Freja loudly told every one in hearing that I was HER Dada!
Hop on Pop
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