Rule #3

I often come upon the children doing something imaginative or unique, and then want it for myself. I want to be a part of it, take a photo or make a comment. But over time I've learned that even positive attention tends to pull the children out of their fantasy and into a reflective self-awareness that reduces their magical world, if only briefly, to sticks and stones. The play stops and pivots on comprehending or responding to me. More often than not they pick it back up, but sometimes my attention, even when positive, is enough to break the spell for good. So I've learned - don't interrupt unless I have a good reason to do it.