Their pop-up café is on the old brickwork that was once a barbecue area – between the back door and the pool. 

I’m hearing lots of orders for “one small skinny latte please” and “two short blacks, a full cream cappuccino, espresso and an affogato thanks”.

Fourteen-year-old Katianna cleaned out a cupboard for me yesterday and it turned into an all-day job. 

As the mammoth task unfolded, many treasures were rediscovered, including a tin of coffee beans and some plastic cups, which inspired the coffee shop game.

I’ve paid much more for expensive toys that the girls have had less play out of because it’s always their imaginations that provide the best fun. 

When they get too hot in their faux kitchen, the girls jump in the pool to cool off.

But when Katianna, Yasinta and Tiani glide in, they don’t just swim. 

Mostly this summer they have played a game about competition synchronised swimming – choreographing dances in the water and pretending to be coached, judged and scored.

There is often some kind of accent involved – Russian is a favourite. 

If not role playing in the pool, my three children are undergoing challenges involving their giant inflatable unicorn, dragon and pink flamingo – which are all the rage this year. 

It took me a full half hour on the first day of school holidays to deliver my ground-breaking, “The fairies aren’t coming to wash these dishes” speech. 

Seriously, I don’t even know where I got that one. 

Fairies were never mentioned in relation to dishes at my house growing up – there was a roster and you took your turn to dry. 

My girls always turn dishes into a three-person job though, with one of them washing, one drying and one packing away. 

As long as someone else chips in, I’m happy, as the round-the-clock feeding program seems to create a great deal of mess.   

I suspect I’m seeing little of them some days because they are afraid of picking up a chore if they get too close.

Never mind, they always feel safe at bed time to detain me for a half hour each.

They know I’m always up for a cuppa and a chat.  

Yolande Grosser