The Locked Cupboard

You probably know what I'm talking about. The one cupboard or closet that toys or other things are locked in.  The reasons why they are locked up vary but just knowing that those items are not readily accessible makes them even more appealing.

  When I was a child my mom had a locked closet upstairs where she hid away certain toys.  I don't know if these were toys that were too noisy, toys we didn't pick up, or toys that were just a nuisance in some way.  Whatever the reason we LOVED the rare opportunities we had to look through the treasures of that closet.

In the Center we have a similar locked cupboard.  It houses all the board games for the school age kids, puzzles with lots of pieces, and those toys that just create havoc if left out for anyone and everyone to access.  Now don't get me wrong, we have plenty of things on the shelves with lots of pieces to pick up and things that can be messy.  The games and toys are in this cupboard to preserve their usefulness.  There is nothing more frustrating for our school age kids to sit down to play a game only to find important pieces are missing.

To the younger children this cupboard is almost magical.  It doesn't matter whether they get to look in the cupboard a couple times a week or on a daily basis, their eyes still light up each time the lock is taken off and the doors open.  Deciding which game to try or puzzle to do is a major dilemma.  There is an urgency to play with as many games as they can before the closet is locked up yet again.

When we are forced to stay inside I reluctantly open the "magical" cupboard.  I have visions of games being strung all across the tables.  Game pieces from numerous games mixed together everywhere.  As hard as I tried to keep it quiet, only having a select few choosing games, word spreads like wild fire.  I wonder if the "magic" part of that cupboard is a special radar that goes off alerting every child in range. (Much like the radar that goes off as soon as I answer the phone or use the restroom--there's always someone that needs my immediate attention then.)

The last child hasn't even chosen her game yet when the first few children are coming back for another.  Soon some children got picked up, others lost interest, and the true magic of the cupboard is revealed. One child is left playing a game.  The chaos around us has diminished and I sit to watch.  Soon the child tells me "I'm blue, you can be red." The game begins.  Our fun is ultimately interrupted with the arrival of the parents, but promises to play again another day are made.

As I put everything back in the cupboard, it dawns on me.  The 'magic' of the cupboard is not what is IN the cupboard.  It is the challenge to be the last one who gets Linda all to herself.