How Many Colors Can You Paint It?

This is my little girl's playhouse. We built it about 8 years ago when our now-teenagers were little elementary school kids and our daughter was a toddler. As they've gotten bigger and older, the kids have lost interest in the playhouse. Teens are far too cool for such juvenile things.

This past summer, our 10-year-old got interested in the playhouse again for the first time in years. In fact, she decided to paint the playhouse. Cece and some of her little girlfriends got out her craft paints from her bedroom and went to town. I thought, "Surely those craft paints won't hold up outside, the colors will melt away in the first rainstorm."

The whole project kept them busy, outside, and out of my hair for a few days, which,(let's be brutally honest here) is all you want as a parent some days. So I figured "Why not? Let them paint it however they want, it's a playhouse. Who cares what the result looks like?"

Well, you see the result: I think it came out rather cute. My husband observed, "How many colors can you paint a playhouse?" Well, the answer seems to be, "A lot." Surprisingly, the colors have stuck--the paint must be a lot less water soluble than I thought. And so far, none of the neighbors have complained about the CREATIVELY decorated object in the backyard.

The fact is, this five foot by five foot playhouse is a lot better shelter than a huge number of people have in Haiti right this minute.

It makes me think, "Why is my child so fortunate as to have a PLAYHOUSE that is better than a real house for those people?" And I don't know the answer.

That is why I am trying to raise money for building houses in Haiti. Because, like my kids who ignore the playhouse in the backyard 90% of the time, we have a lot in this country that we ignore, forget about and take for granted. Meanwhile, other people have nothing. Families in Haiti are living in with leaky pieces of plastic for roofs and bedsheets for walls.

While it isn't practical or cost effective to dismantle my child's playhouse and ship it Haiti, there are many ways of building a simple house in Haiti. We are not talking complicated or grand houses here. These houses are not even fitted with electricity or indoor plumbing. They are basic, but a roof that doesn't leak is a whole lot better than a piece of plastic. And a real wooden door that can open and close is a lot better than a blanket or bed sheet acting as a door.

If can help, please, let's build some houses in Haiti.