Creativity is a key ingredient in handling young children. When you've got a kid in the throes of the terrible twos, as I have, you always have to stay one step ahead of them. You're creativity is always being tested, as you try to cajole, bamboozle and outfox them into doing the right thing.
It was in that spirit that I spent two hours last Saturday evening as a flea.
You see, I took my family to Sandglass Theater that afternoon to take in "Bubble and Flea," a show of enormous fun on a small scale as part of its Mid-Winter Sunshine Series. Taking in what I think is her first show in a theater (she'd seen other stuff, performed outdoors where she could roam around and be a kid), my 2 1/2-year-old girl had an absolute ball watching Ines Zeller Bass perform "Fritzi's Fabulous Flea Circus." It was such a treat watching my girl smile, giggle and watch with rapt attention as Fritzi performed his death-defying stunts.
Ines shared billing with Circus Smirkus founder Rob Mermin, who presented his "Bubble Brothers Soap Suds Circus" — actually performing stunts using bubbles — with equal measures of success and unpredictability. My 8-year-old girl really liked that, especially since Mermin encouraged audience interaction and gamely went on with the circus even though his fellow performers kept popping on him.
All told, it was a terrific afternoon that gave us much laughter and did exactly what it advertised — it brightened a winter's day.
It also tickled by 2 1/2-year-old so much that she insisted I spend most of the rest of the day as Fritzi. Apparently, I have a bright future as a flea.
Sandglass' series wraps up this Saturday with Ines' award-winning "Isidor's Cheek" on Saturday. Tickets are $8 and well worth it. For details, call 802-387-4051 or visit www.sandglasstheater.org.