They’ve grown up in the age of reality tv? Maybe it’s more than reality tv…reality internet? Social media? People talking to their invisible audience, narrating their every move. My girls do this when they’re creating- art, baking, even building with Legos.

Sunday afternoon, after Wren had convinced her sisters to spend hours in the basement building with Legos (she hasn’t had a free moment in weeks!), she announced after dinner that she was ready to paint. So the art supplies crept out.

First the acrylic paints. Then the markers.

Finally, the watercolors.

Soon the kitchen table was a riot of brushes, paper towels, and cups of cloudy water.

Then the narration began.

“I’m just going back in with the green to add more dimension,” Wren said to no one in particular, though she sounded exactly like someone explaining a tutorial.

“Across the table Adi chimed in, competing for airtime.

“I’m going to add a little green, yellow, and pink.”

Meanwhile Rose, usually the biggest chatterbox of the three, was working quietly.

Until she burst. “I ruined it!” She held up a pink canvas with a blue outline of what she declared was a dove. “I hope this doesn’t ruin my life,” she added, layering just the right amount of drama onto the show.

That was all Adi needed. She launched into a monologue about creativity and how important it is not to get sucked into a world of video games.

And all the while, I sit and watch and listen, trying to keep up with the various plots and storylines-three creators, three commentaries, one very lively production unfolding right at the kitchen table.

Where In The World am I Writing From: I’m writing in real time while the girls are working at the dining room table, typing from my phone so they don’t realize what I’m doing.