Exhaustion and Energy

Tonight is the last night of Vacation Bible School.  Part of me will miss it.  Part of me is quite exhausted today, and I'm hoping for a restful Saturday before we return to church to lead worship on Sunday.  I've already written some posts about what I'm learning and remembering.  Let me write down a few more observations:

--Watercolor paints will work on air-dry clay that's had a few days to dry.  Last night I gave each child their own kit of 8 colors.  It worked well.  Last year, I had washable acrylic paint which I apportioned out on plates that I used as palettes--much messier.

--As I was setting up, I put a paper cup of water at each child's seat.  I had a moment of panic.  It's been a week of everything on the table being upended at some point.  Would we end up with water all over the place?  Happily, we did not.

--When using watercolor paints, I suspect that there will always be a child or two who is more fascinated by how the water changes than in painting.  That's fine.

--By the end of the night, it's impossible to get children to focus.  It's quite a contrast to the first group that cycles through the Arts and Crafts room.  They're attentive.  They're enthusiastic.  They have full control of their motor skills.  Are they just a more mature group than the last group?  Or is it something about the time of night?  I suspect it's the latter.

--I, too, am less focused.  With the first 2 groups, I remember to tie in the Arts and Crafts activity to the lessons that we're learning.  By the end of the night, I'm just trying not to lose track of the kids.

--The other adults and our teen helpers are also less focused at the end of the night.  We're tired, and the children are hyped up.  Too much sugar?  Exhaustion that manifests itself as manic energy?  It's an interesting dynamic.

--Did I ever express exhaustion through manic energy?  Could I learn to do that?  I'm afraid my exhaustion manifests itself as irritability and the inability to complete a sentence.