This series is about having fun with your kids without losing your cool.
Before we can have fun, we need to be able to identify what's making us go crazy and putting a damper on the fun. Then we need to formulate a plan get rid of the trigger so we get to the fun part!
Are you cranky in the morning?
Plan activities for the afternoon when you are fully awake.
Do you find it difficult to think about fun when the baby is wiggling and crying and getting into everything?
Save craft projects for nap time, and sing or read stories in the morning.
Are you stir-crazy in the house?
Go outside, even if fun consists of nothing more than collecting leaves or chasing butterflies.
Is taking everyone outside too much stress?
Wait until Daddy's home to go outside and plan quiet indoor fun instead. (Fun and quiet can go together.)
Does the mess of glitter, paint, or Play-Doh make you shudder?
Don't use them! That's right. Your child will be okay if she never plays with Play-Doh!
Does the whiny toddler drag everyone down?
Set standards for behavior. "If you whine, you don't play."
Want to know my #1 cranky-mom, lose-my-cool trigger? A messy house. Legos on the floor, crumbs on the table, and dumped out crayons disrupt my thinking!
Want to know my solution? Have everyone clean up before we start something new. It's amazing how much calmer I feel when we read or watch a movie or do a craft in a tidy house.
Instead of giving up on fun and giving in to discouragement, think about what's ruining your fun and make a plan to eliminate it!
What puts the biggest damper on fun for you?
Great series!
ReplyDeleteYup, Play doh drives me crazy, so it is stored on high shelf where I can regulate how often we bring it out.
I too function much better if when we sit down to do school,a project, or read a book if things are picked up! It really helps my attitude a lot. I feel like I can concentrate on what we are about to do! Thanks for the post! The picture is cute!
ReplyDeleteA messy house makes me super edgy too. I'm not a fan of glitter, play-doh or PAINT so we normally avoid those "making mom crazy' activities!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, thanks! I am the same way about a cluttered house. Looking forward to the rest of the series!
ReplyDeleteOh, probably a cluttery house. Makes me crazy and is usually my fault! Thanks for the encouragement to make changes.
ReplyDeleteAnd oh how I hate play-doh. For these years now I've had kids old enough to want to play I am ever saying "no." Why? Because it stresses me out. And it's even worse if a piece gets on the floor or pieces get missed and dry out. Then there is the color mixing problem. My most recent solution has allowed the kids to really enjoy it... and more often. I decided I don't care. We have the same 4 containers of play-doh we started with (free with a coupon all those years ago). I just decided that I hate play-doh (especially the smell on my hands when I have to handle it) so when they play, I let them do whatever. They don't care if colors mix. And one day, when it's not good anymore, I'll just let it go without looking back. Serves two purposes. :)
I am loving your series so far! I don't have kids, but I nanny so it's nice to read a mom's opinion. I wish more moms thought like you about setting standards for behavior—if parents don't then some poor babysitter has to pay for it later (my experience many times!).
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