Idle children

What do your children get up to when having unsupervised play? In our house I have discovered that being idle (more likely to happen when unsupervised:) tends to be an unprofitable exercise for all. I do not fancy idle children though I must confess that it is inevitable at some stage... no two ways about it. I love to see my kids busy doing something - even if it is contemplating their bellybutton as they lay on their bed (though I could think of kazillion things better to contemplate:) Sometimes I am surprised to see the activities my kids get up to when left to themselves... productive activities, that is. Like...

Inventing their own games. I've no idea what this one was about except that it involved putting your feet up on the table and obeying orders from big brother (funny I think he was boss in the last game I observed;)

Or this...

I believe this one involved waiting until big brother was out to conduct a musical duet which involved the piano (played rather aggressively) some maracas and a little plastic tambourine which Owen scored from brother's treasure drawer for following big brother orders in the last game they played:) It was quite the duet. I think the song could be titled something like "while brother is out we shall sing with all our gusto for we may never get the opportunity again!"

Unfortunately idle children in our home do tend to find their pecking order, seem to need to be very vocal in sorting out their differences and seem to need to continue pursuing their original intent in being 'king' or 'queen' of the castle.

There, now, I have been completely open and honest and though I might sound quite negative I now have it off my chest and would love to hear any wisdom and insight into how I should/could help my children to show more than the odd occasional signs of affection for one another.

I know, I know... I guess it comes back to heart issues so I guess it is back to my knees again! Never should have left that position in the first place!