Another post in the spirit of Christmas. I have most of the gift shopping done, but there are a few more things to pick up. I also had to buy some small items for starting my daycare, so off I went to Walmart, armed with a list of specific, yet relatively easy things (or so I thought). On the list: caps for wall sockets, an anchor for a book shelf, puppy mittens, a Santa hat (for J's Christmas concert) and possibly a TV mount.
Here's how I did.
I walked around in seventy circles before I found the socket caps. Thirty minutes. I asked four (yes, FOUR) employees for help with the book shelf anchor, and not one knew what it was. I finally pulled something off the shelf that looked somewhat relevant to my needs, and all four employees said, yes, that was it. It's not. It's an artificial stud for drywall. Well, in my defense, at least it goes into a wall. The TV mounts were all over $100, which may be inflated because it's Christmas. But really, who puts that on their wish list? The puppy mittens were also a no-go, but there was an overabundance of Hello Kitty wear, obviously. As for the Santa hat, I saved that for last, thinking that it would at least be there and that would cheer me up. But lo and behold, I get to the proper department and the only hats left are in pink. J's a boy.
So I got angry. It's supposed to be a holly jolly time of year (according to my husband, at least), and I was not holly-jolly. I went to the table asking for donations. At least I could do something productive while I was there. I picked a card and bought a present for a boy without a family for Christmas. There was all his basic information and some suggestions of what he might like. One was hockey stuff. So I went to the hockey stuff and immediately found a very nice fleece blanket with all the Canadian NHL teams on it. That was something. It made me feel a bit better, although no less grouchy.
Then I went to another store for a Santa hat and guess what? The only ones they had were for dogs! So I gave up.
Wednesday 18 December 2013
Monday 9 December 2013
Cheerleaders
This isn't a very thematic post for the time of year, but I think it makes sense. I mean that we as parents need to be cheerleaders for our children. I think it's a good time of year for it though because in December we all are so busy, getting ready for the holidays, visiting, shopping, and whatever else your Christmas (or Hannukah) requires. This is the perfect time to slow down and appreciate what we have at home, mainly, our children.
I know that no one else can push a mother's buttons like their kids. Somehow our children know how to drive us crazy in a matter of seconds. They can be the source of horrible thoughts, bad words and grey hair (ask my own mom about that one). But they are also the best things we have ever had and will ever have. Instead of thinking of what else they did wrong today, think of something they did right. Even if it was for someone else. For example, when I drop J off somewhere I always remind him about twenty times to listen. There's something about me that makes his ears run away, I guess, because he acts deaf when he's at home. But I always receive glowing reports of how good he is and how well he listens when he's with another grown up. Go figure.
But I appreciate that. I even thank him for it. I don't say, "Thank you for listening to some other mom and not me," but I do say thank you. It makes me happy that even when he's got his selective hearing ears on, he still ingests this lesson that I'm trying to send.
There are so many other things that make me happy about my kids. In short, J's love of life, his need to make others happy and his sincere, inclusive nature. E is just as wonderful, with his funny games, his agreeable (yet opinionated) nature, and his love of learning. There's so much more, but this post isn't about bragging about my own children. It's about your children.
Think on what they do that makes you and the rest of the world smile. Then give them a hug and tell them that you love that specific thing about them. If you are really ambitious, make a list or a scrapbook page. Or write a song. It doesn't matter if only you see it, but it would be really cool to show your kids too. The point is, they need to know you appreciate them. They already know you love them, so tell them exactly why. Be their biggest cheerleader and everyone will feel a little happier. And they will probably become more confident too.
There's another good thing about this too. If you consciously appreciate your children every single day, it will make it a little easier when they do drive you nuts. Yes, you feel like screaming obscenities at the moment but hey, this kid can make awesome cookies! Become a cheerleader. Tight tops and short skirts optional (I definitely opt out).
I know that no one else can push a mother's buttons like their kids. Somehow our children know how to drive us crazy in a matter of seconds. They can be the source of horrible thoughts, bad words and grey hair (ask my own mom about that one). But they are also the best things we have ever had and will ever have. Instead of thinking of what else they did wrong today, think of something they did right. Even if it was for someone else. For example, when I drop J off somewhere I always remind him about twenty times to listen. There's something about me that makes his ears run away, I guess, because he acts deaf when he's at home. But I always receive glowing reports of how good he is and how well he listens when he's with another grown up. Go figure.
But I appreciate that. I even thank him for it. I don't say, "Thank you for listening to some other mom and not me," but I do say thank you. It makes me happy that even when he's got his selective hearing ears on, he still ingests this lesson that I'm trying to send.
There are so many other things that make me happy about my kids. In short, J's love of life, his need to make others happy and his sincere, inclusive nature. E is just as wonderful, with his funny games, his agreeable (yet opinionated) nature, and his love of learning. There's so much more, but this post isn't about bragging about my own children. It's about your children.
Think on what they do that makes you and the rest of the world smile. Then give them a hug and tell them that you love that specific thing about them. If you are really ambitious, make a list or a scrapbook page. Or write a song. It doesn't matter if only you see it, but it would be really cool to show your kids too. The point is, they need to know you appreciate them. They already know you love them, so tell them exactly why. Be their biggest cheerleader and everyone will feel a little happier. And they will probably become more confident too.
There's another good thing about this too. If you consciously appreciate your children every single day, it will make it a little easier when they do drive you nuts. Yes, you feel like screaming obscenities at the moment but hey, this kid can make awesome cookies! Become a cheerleader. Tight tops and short skirts optional (I definitely opt out).
Monday 2 December 2013
Here it comes....
I can't believe it's already December! This past month has gone by so fast I don't even remember it. Since it's almost the season, I thought I would dedicate this post to getting ready for Christmas, for those who like to get a start on it early in December, like me.
Shopping:
I will start with the absolute worst part of Christmas first. I know not everyone agrees with me, but I hate shopping. The only part I like about shopping is being done. And by that I mean being home with everything unpacked and put away. Shopping is worse at Christmas, obviously, so here are some tips to keep your sanity.
1. Coffee. Drink it. If you don't drink it, then start. Begin early in the day and keep going until after noon, and then guzzle water after that. Trust me. It helps with alertness, energy and patience. A lot with patience.
2. Pick a day. Try to find care for your children and get all your shopping done in that day. 12 hours in one day is painful, I know, but it's far better than spreading it out over many days. If you do that, it suddenly turns into 40 hours.
3. Make a budget. Do a rough estimate of how many people you have to buy for and what you'll spend on each. Mine includes presents for family, tins and baking ingredients for friends and neighbours, decorations and a tree, etc. Don't forget to budget for wrapping paper, gift bags, labels and tape.
3. Make a list. Correction. Lists. First make a list of all the lists you need to make, such as People To Buy For, Budget For Each Person, Cards To Send, Addresses To Send To, etc. Then get down to each individual list. When you are finished, make another list by order of priority. Then double and triple check it. I always carry a pen with me when I'm shopping so I can check off what's done, or keep a tally of what I've spent so far. It sounds like a lot of work, but it means you won't miss anything and you can't really overspend without knowing it.
4. Try to go shopping at a time when people won't be out in crazy herds. Like in August.
5. Put on a brave face. This is cliche for a reason. It' works. If you keep your chin up and remember people are usually rude at this time of year, you will be better off for it. Just keep going for as long as you can, and if you need to stop, then stop. Hopefully you aren't doing this all on Christmas Eve, because I don't know what advice to give you if you are.
Decorating:
This is the fun part of Christmas, assuming you can get to your decorations, which for me is debatable. After climbing over 12 months worth of storage I managed to find most of our stuff, but it's worth it. If you have kids (and who would read a mom blog if they didn't?), give them each a bag and tell them to go wild. Okay, that was a joke. That wouldn't work in our house. I told J to be careful and we ended up with all our drawers and closets garlanded shut. It did look pretty though.
Brainstorm with your kids as you take stuff out of the bags. What goes on the tree, what can go on the walls, what needs to be displayed and what can go in the kids bedrooms? Then go to it. A helpful hint: don't give anyone the Scotch tape. I keep it attached to my belt loop with a Carboner, just in case. Hey, the price of tape goes way up in December.
Baking:
This is another fun part of Christmas. At least I think so. For those who aren't the baker types, you can skip this part. First, I make a list of all the people I am going to send something to and then I make a list of easy but delicious and aesthetically appealing recipes to try. I keep it to three or four, maximum. When the kids are in bed, I have a baking marathon. I usually save this until the week before Christmas so I can give them out right away.
Two notes: Those braver than I can enlist the help of their children with the baking. And if you want to give out homemade gifts but are the type to burn water, look up some easy gifts in a jar. You can make homemade hot chocolate or a basic, dry cookie recipe and give those out, with little notes telling what to add to finish the recipe. That way you will appear crafty and domestic, while not actually putting anything in the oven.
Charity:
I saved the most important for last. No matter how much our kids love presents, I am a firm believer that Christmas is more about being nice to one another, donating what we can afford and giving our time when we can manage it. It's essential to show our children how to care about other people, including strangers, and make them aware that not everyone is so lucky. It's also a great way to teach them about not judging people for what social position they're in, and give our kids a sense of purpose and pride ebcause they made someone's day better.
There are several ways to help out at this, and any other, time of year. Make a list of good ones and let each family member pick a cause to help out. Or choose one as a family. If you don't have much money, figure out where you can give your time. There are also several places that accept donations of used toys and clothing. Local community centres usually have a used toy and clothing drive at this time of year, and most malls have the Toy Drive for new toy donations. There are also several churches that take money and food donations to help with their Christmas dinners. You can also sponsor a whole family for Christmas, or if you are feeling more exotic, choose an international charity. Volunteer with your kids anywhere, at a soup kitchen sorting food and clothes or an animal shelter. Hey, our furry friends need holiday cheer too. Or you can give your child a handful of coins for that Salvation Army guy with the bell that seems to be everywhere.
While we are in the mood to give, don't forget about poor Santa at the mall. Yes, he loves his job but it must be a pretty long December, witting around for days on end. He might appreciate a coffee or gift card that he can use when he's on his way back to the North Pole....
Shopping:
I will start with the absolute worst part of Christmas first. I know not everyone agrees with me, but I hate shopping. The only part I like about shopping is being done. And by that I mean being home with everything unpacked and put away. Shopping is worse at Christmas, obviously, so here are some tips to keep your sanity.
1. Coffee. Drink it. If you don't drink it, then start. Begin early in the day and keep going until after noon, and then guzzle water after that. Trust me. It helps with alertness, energy and patience. A lot with patience.
2. Pick a day. Try to find care for your children and get all your shopping done in that day. 12 hours in one day is painful, I know, but it's far better than spreading it out over many days. If you do that, it suddenly turns into 40 hours.
3. Make a budget. Do a rough estimate of how many people you have to buy for and what you'll spend on each. Mine includes presents for family, tins and baking ingredients for friends and neighbours, decorations and a tree, etc. Don't forget to budget for wrapping paper, gift bags, labels and tape.
3. Make a list. Correction. Lists. First make a list of all the lists you need to make, such as People To Buy For, Budget For Each Person, Cards To Send, Addresses To Send To, etc. Then get down to each individual list. When you are finished, make another list by order of priority. Then double and triple check it. I always carry a pen with me when I'm shopping so I can check off what's done, or keep a tally of what I've spent so far. It sounds like a lot of work, but it means you won't miss anything and you can't really overspend without knowing it.
4. Try to go shopping at a time when people won't be out in crazy herds. Like in August.
5. Put on a brave face. This is cliche for a reason. It' works. If you keep your chin up and remember people are usually rude at this time of year, you will be better off for it. Just keep going for as long as you can, and if you need to stop, then stop. Hopefully you aren't doing this all on Christmas Eve, because I don't know what advice to give you if you are.
Decorating:
This is the fun part of Christmas, assuming you can get to your decorations, which for me is debatable. After climbing over 12 months worth of storage I managed to find most of our stuff, but it's worth it. If you have kids (and who would read a mom blog if they didn't?), give them each a bag and tell them to go wild. Okay, that was a joke. That wouldn't work in our house. I told J to be careful and we ended up with all our drawers and closets garlanded shut. It did look pretty though.
Brainstorm with your kids as you take stuff out of the bags. What goes on the tree, what can go on the walls, what needs to be displayed and what can go in the kids bedrooms? Then go to it. A helpful hint: don't give anyone the Scotch tape. I keep it attached to my belt loop with a Carboner, just in case. Hey, the price of tape goes way up in December.
Baking:
This is another fun part of Christmas. At least I think so. For those who aren't the baker types, you can skip this part. First, I make a list of all the people I am going to send something to and then I make a list of easy but delicious and aesthetically appealing recipes to try. I keep it to three or four, maximum. When the kids are in bed, I have a baking marathon. I usually save this until the week before Christmas so I can give them out right away.
Two notes: Those braver than I can enlist the help of their children with the baking. And if you want to give out homemade gifts but are the type to burn water, look up some easy gifts in a jar. You can make homemade hot chocolate or a basic, dry cookie recipe and give those out, with little notes telling what to add to finish the recipe. That way you will appear crafty and domestic, while not actually putting anything in the oven.
Charity:
I saved the most important for last. No matter how much our kids love presents, I am a firm believer that Christmas is more about being nice to one another, donating what we can afford and giving our time when we can manage it. It's essential to show our children how to care about other people, including strangers, and make them aware that not everyone is so lucky. It's also a great way to teach them about not judging people for what social position they're in, and give our kids a sense of purpose and pride ebcause they made someone's day better.
There are several ways to help out at this, and any other, time of year. Make a list of good ones and let each family member pick a cause to help out. Or choose one as a family. If you don't have much money, figure out where you can give your time. There are also several places that accept donations of used toys and clothing. Local community centres usually have a used toy and clothing drive at this time of year, and most malls have the Toy Drive for new toy donations. There are also several churches that take money and food donations to help with their Christmas dinners. You can also sponsor a whole family for Christmas, or if you are feeling more exotic, choose an international charity. Volunteer with your kids anywhere, at a soup kitchen sorting food and clothes or an animal shelter. Hey, our furry friends need holiday cheer too. Or you can give your child a handful of coins for that Salvation Army guy with the bell that seems to be everywhere.
While we are in the mood to give, don't forget about poor Santa at the mall. Yes, he loves his job but it must be a pretty long December, witting around for days on end. He might appreciate a coffee or gift card that he can use when he's on his way back to the North Pole....
Tuesday 19 November 2013
A minute please, pretty please!
Well with Halloween over I thought there might be time to relax for at least a morning before I was on to the next thing. I should have known better. It seems Christmas is already upon us, and with that and planning on starting a daycare in the new year, I have had an appointment or meeting or interview or shopping to do or something else every day. This is by far the fullest month on my humongous fridge calendar this year. There is one day that's blank, but give it some time and that one will be filled too. There's still a week and a half of this month to come up with something I'm sure.
With all that's going on, I've found it hard to maintain a daily routine. I like routines, probably more than the next guy (or mom), but this time of year is busy for everyone. I also have the added responsibility of volunteering in J's class every other week, baking muffins about once a month for the school Breakfast for Learning program, baking enough snacks and desserts to feed my hungry hungry hippos, er kids, and cooking dinner every night. And we can't forget J's soccer and swimming two nights a week, my husband's weekly appointments, E's gymnastics once per week, the weekly resource centre play group the E loves to go to and drop in gym where he gets to drive a little car around for 90 minutes. Oh yeah, and getting the house up to code for a home daycare.
I have also managed (with help from my family) to get Christmas presents bought for my nieces and nephew on my side of the family, and organize a weekend that my mom can take the boys so P and I can get their shopping done. Speaking of shopping, I think all of J's many friends were born in either November or December, because in the next three weeks he has four parties to attend, and I haven't even thought about buying birthday presents for those yet.
Something else that's on my to-do list before Christmas is getting my First Aid and CPR certification again. And we all need flu shots. I also have to prepare for all my Christmas baking, because I will have about ten families to provide with baked goods. This is not a complaint; I do this as a Christmas gift because it's more personal than buying a present (and also cheaper).
Needless to say, I haven't been to the gym in over a week. This is okay for several reasons. One, I was going regularly for over two months and working out hard (as in running a mile or more, at least three times a week) and didn't lose any weight. Of course I know I've got to keep trying, but enough's enough for now. It's not like I'm going backwards if I stop for a bit. Another reason this is okay is that come January, I'm going to have to find a new routine for going to the gym. With several more children in the house during the day, I won't be able to go in the mornings like I did. The last reason is that I don't have much time to eat, so I don't need to burn the calories as much. Yes, I know these are all excuses, and not very good ones at that, but I have to tell myself something, right?
Anyway, through all this craziness and running out of time I forgot to mention that I've been having a lot of fun. I am a person who needs to be busy. If I have nothing to do I will stand somewhere, slightly resembling a cactus out of the desert (in other words, lost), and go to bed because I'm bored. And that's definitely not productive. Or fun.
For those who don't believe me, let me tell you about our weekend. Saturday was Free Movie Day, or Community Day, when we could go see a movie for free in the local theatre and buy cheap popcorn. I went with J and we invited one of his friends. That covered our morning and then he had a play date in the afternoon. Then we bought groceries and did the dinner and hygiene and bedtime thing, and I made muffins for the family. And cookies. Sunday J had a play date with one of his friends and another friend called and asked to come over at the same time, so we had a mini party. Then we had to go out to do some Christmas shopping and get the kids home for a rushed dinner and early bedtime. Then I made more cookies. Two days went by in a whirlwind, but it was fun. I did a lot with E too, like playing outside, playing games here, dancing and building obstacle courses in the living room.
The two days of this week have been filled with 100 mini muffins for J's school, a doctor's appointment, two phone interviews with the school and two local play groups for E. If this keeps up I won't even remember the month leading up to Christmas this year, which might be a good thing considering how stressed out most people get. So while I ask for a minute, a quiet one without other people or anything to do, I don't think I would appreciate it or acknowledge it if I got it. This is my life, and I quite like it. Even if I forget a few things along the way.
With all that's going on, I've found it hard to maintain a daily routine. I like routines, probably more than the next guy (or mom), but this time of year is busy for everyone. I also have the added responsibility of volunteering in J's class every other week, baking muffins about once a month for the school Breakfast for Learning program, baking enough snacks and desserts to feed my hungry hungry hippos, er kids, and cooking dinner every night. And we can't forget J's soccer and swimming two nights a week, my husband's weekly appointments, E's gymnastics once per week, the weekly resource centre play group the E loves to go to and drop in gym where he gets to drive a little car around for 90 minutes. Oh yeah, and getting the house up to code for a home daycare.
I have also managed (with help from my family) to get Christmas presents bought for my nieces and nephew on my side of the family, and organize a weekend that my mom can take the boys so P and I can get their shopping done. Speaking of shopping, I think all of J's many friends were born in either November or December, because in the next three weeks he has four parties to attend, and I haven't even thought about buying birthday presents for those yet.
Something else that's on my to-do list before Christmas is getting my First Aid and CPR certification again. And we all need flu shots. I also have to prepare for all my Christmas baking, because I will have about ten families to provide with baked goods. This is not a complaint; I do this as a Christmas gift because it's more personal than buying a present (and also cheaper).
Needless to say, I haven't been to the gym in over a week. This is okay for several reasons. One, I was going regularly for over two months and working out hard (as in running a mile or more, at least three times a week) and didn't lose any weight. Of course I know I've got to keep trying, but enough's enough for now. It's not like I'm going backwards if I stop for a bit. Another reason this is okay is that come January, I'm going to have to find a new routine for going to the gym. With several more children in the house during the day, I won't be able to go in the mornings like I did. The last reason is that I don't have much time to eat, so I don't need to burn the calories as much. Yes, I know these are all excuses, and not very good ones at that, but I have to tell myself something, right?
Anyway, through all this craziness and running out of time I forgot to mention that I've been having a lot of fun. I am a person who needs to be busy. If I have nothing to do I will stand somewhere, slightly resembling a cactus out of the desert (in other words, lost), and go to bed because I'm bored. And that's definitely not productive. Or fun.
For those who don't believe me, let me tell you about our weekend. Saturday was Free Movie Day, or Community Day, when we could go see a movie for free in the local theatre and buy cheap popcorn. I went with J and we invited one of his friends. That covered our morning and then he had a play date in the afternoon. Then we bought groceries and did the dinner and hygiene and bedtime thing, and I made muffins for the family. And cookies. Sunday J had a play date with one of his friends and another friend called and asked to come over at the same time, so we had a mini party. Then we had to go out to do some Christmas shopping and get the kids home for a rushed dinner and early bedtime. Then I made more cookies. Two days went by in a whirlwind, but it was fun. I did a lot with E too, like playing outside, playing games here, dancing and building obstacle courses in the living room.
The two days of this week have been filled with 100 mini muffins for J's school, a doctor's appointment, two phone interviews with the school and two local play groups for E. If this keeps up I won't even remember the month leading up to Christmas this year, which might be a good thing considering how stressed out most people get. So while I ask for a minute, a quiet one without other people or anything to do, I don't think I would appreciate it or acknowledge it if I got it. This is my life, and I quite like it. Even if I forget a few things along the way.
Friday 8 November 2013
A new job!
This isn't technically a "job" to most people, but I'm very excited. I've signed up to be a home daycare through a local agency, and I will be starting in January. I will be fully licensed, insured and have four more rugrats in my house. Oh boy.
I know it's going to be an adjustment, but I think it will be a positive one. It allows me to stay home with E until he starts school and still earn a decent amount of money. I had reservations about a home daycare, because several people have suggested I do it before. My feeling was that I couldn't spend very much quality time with E if I had a bunch of other kids to run around after. But I changed my mind, or perhaps the timing is better now because he's older. Now my opinion is that he will benefit from the interaction, structure and increased activity level.
I wanted to stay home and devote all of my time on E for two more years at least, but this didn't turn out as well as I thought it would. First, I rely on the bus throughout the week, and for those who know Peterborough, the buses are anything but convenient. Suffice it to say that a 2 hour outing in any other city turns into a four hour outing here. That's a lot of wasted time and energy for very little benefit. We were in the habit of going out for five hours every morning, and only about an hour of that was time spent together. I felt bad because it wasn't easier to interact, but then when we stayed home he got bored and wouldn't sleep well. It was a no-win.
So with all these other children invading our space, I can organize activities and playtime with minimal (ie. zero) travel time. Hey, anyone who thinks I'm taking five children under four years old on the bus is crazy! I still get to spend time with E while allowing him socialization and stimulation, and I get to save money on bus passes too!
There are some added benefits. One being that I can follow a structured routine every day that includes exercise, playtime and learning. Come on, that's just fun! Oh, I'm good at that kind of thing too. I will receive a whole bunch of training for free as well, and maybe when I want to rejoin the work force outside of my home, it will open up some new opportunities for me.
There are some things I'm not looking forward to though. The most obvious is nap time. There will be a gaggle of kids downstairs on sleeping mats for 1-2 hours, but I don't envision them sleeping. I think I may purchase a video monitor, and maybe an intercom system so they know I am watching.....
The other thing I'm not looking forward to is outdoor time. Don't get me wrong, I love taking kids outside to play, but our local park has been closed for two years and will remain closed at least until next summer, maybe longer. Our backyard is large, but I don't have a play structure or swing set. I will be stocking up on outdoor toys, clearance or used of course, and then I may feel better, but for now I see me and a group of children standing in the backyard looking at each other. There's only so long a ball can remain interesting.
These things aside, I am still quite excited. I gave them January as my starting date because there are several legal things to do, like First Aid training, Police Check and making the house safe. That will take up most of November and then it will be December which is Christmas and is crazy. Besides, there's a certain sense of poetry (is that the word I want?) in starting something so big in the New Year. It may be small potatoes to other people, but for me and my family, it will be a significant change. There is one other thing I forgot to add about the timeline. I have less than two months to teach E to sleep until at least 6 am.......I`m not optimistic.
I know it's going to be an adjustment, but I think it will be a positive one. It allows me to stay home with E until he starts school and still earn a decent amount of money. I had reservations about a home daycare, because several people have suggested I do it before. My feeling was that I couldn't spend very much quality time with E if I had a bunch of other kids to run around after. But I changed my mind, or perhaps the timing is better now because he's older. Now my opinion is that he will benefit from the interaction, structure and increased activity level.
I wanted to stay home and devote all of my time on E for two more years at least, but this didn't turn out as well as I thought it would. First, I rely on the bus throughout the week, and for those who know Peterborough, the buses are anything but convenient. Suffice it to say that a 2 hour outing in any other city turns into a four hour outing here. That's a lot of wasted time and energy for very little benefit. We were in the habit of going out for five hours every morning, and only about an hour of that was time spent together. I felt bad because it wasn't easier to interact, but then when we stayed home he got bored and wouldn't sleep well. It was a no-win.
So with all these other children invading our space, I can organize activities and playtime with minimal (ie. zero) travel time. Hey, anyone who thinks I'm taking five children under four years old on the bus is crazy! I still get to spend time with E while allowing him socialization and stimulation, and I get to save money on bus passes too!
There are some added benefits. One being that I can follow a structured routine every day that includes exercise, playtime and learning. Come on, that's just fun! Oh, I'm good at that kind of thing too. I will receive a whole bunch of training for free as well, and maybe when I want to rejoin the work force outside of my home, it will open up some new opportunities for me.
There are some things I'm not looking forward to though. The most obvious is nap time. There will be a gaggle of kids downstairs on sleeping mats for 1-2 hours, but I don't envision them sleeping. I think I may purchase a video monitor, and maybe an intercom system so they know I am watching.....
The other thing I'm not looking forward to is outdoor time. Don't get me wrong, I love taking kids outside to play, but our local park has been closed for two years and will remain closed at least until next summer, maybe longer. Our backyard is large, but I don't have a play structure or swing set. I will be stocking up on outdoor toys, clearance or used of course, and then I may feel better, but for now I see me and a group of children standing in the backyard looking at each other. There's only so long a ball can remain interesting.
These things aside, I am still quite excited. I gave them January as my starting date because there are several legal things to do, like First Aid training, Police Check and making the house safe. That will take up most of November and then it will be December which is Christmas and is crazy. Besides, there's a certain sense of poetry (is that the word I want?) in starting something so big in the New Year. It may be small potatoes to other people, but for me and my family, it will be a significant change. There is one other thing I forgot to add about the timeline. I have less than two months to teach E to sleep until at least 6 am.......I`m not optimistic.
Wednesday 30 October 2013
Happy Halloween!
It's Halloween tomorrow. I don't know about the rest of you, but Halloween is a pretty big deal in our house. This post is about preparing for Halloween, being safe while trick or treating and dealing with meltdowns about all that junk food that will enter your household tomorrow night.
Preparation:
First comes the costume. It's difficult for a child to be excited about Halloween if they don't know what they're going to dress up as. Personally, I was a bit unconventional when it came to dressing up. I didn't want the typical costumes, like a witch or TV character. Where's the fun in that? My litany of Halloween costumes included a pilot (complete with a plane attached to me), a car, and finally a table. Yes, I went as a table one year. I was lucky that my mom was very creative and handy with sewing.
My boys aren't so lucky. I am creative, but I have no skill at sewing or putting things together to look like something real. So far though, J has picked some pretty easy costumes for me to figure out. This year he is going as a Pokemon trainer, which requires a white shirt, blue vest, blue and white hat with a logo (I can figure that one out) and a green backpack. E is young enough that he can get away with a commercial costume and still look cute, so he will be a monkey.
Whether you made a costume, bought a costume, or bought and revised a costume for your kids, once that part is over you can move on to some other preparation. J is not a crafty sort (he must take after me), unless it comes to holidays. He loves themed crafts for the holidays, and he is constantly checking the calendar to see what's coming up next that we can glue something together for. I had to gently let him down about Columbus Day, before he got too excited. Please, if you know of any Columbus Day crafts, do pass them on.
Halloween crafts are much easier. Here's one of our personal favourites. Garbage bag ghosts. We stuff white kitchen garbage bags with balled up grocery bags, and tie a string around the neck. Then we either tie or duct tape them all around our front porch. Drawing a face on them with Sharpie is optional. They are quick, easy, and look great for Halloween. Another quick and easy one is to blow up some orange balloons and Sharpie Jack 'o Lantern faces on them. They can be hung outside or in a window. We purchased a dowel and made some construction paper chains to hang off of it. Fold the construction paper accordion-style and cut out shapes, leaving the edges intact. Use orange for pumpkins, white for ghosts, black for witchy hats and green for whatever you like. Then staple them together so they are longer and tie them to the dowel. Hang the dowel where people can see it from a window and voila! All the crafts above are quick enough that children can complete them without becoming too distracted, economical and easy to store for next year, and they don't look tacky.
Safety:
Now let's move on to Halloween night. Everyone knows it's important to be safe, so I won't dwell on that, but I will provide some easy ways to enhance safety. If you live in a neighbourhood like mine, it's quite possible that sometimes there will be about fifty kids at the same house. That makes it pretty hard to keep track of your own, especially if they are wearing a popular costume. I also have two other children to consider, because some of J's friends want to join us trick or treating. I will be putting a big X on the back of each of my charges with orange duct tape, so they can't get caught up in the crowds. I'll have a flashlight, just in case, but the street lights are probably enough to see the bright, orange tape by. I know many parents like the glowing necklaces for Halloween, but they are quickly becoming popular, and therefore, less distinctive.
Another concern is the weather forecast. We are the lucky ones who are supposed to get rain that evening. It's also possible in this country to have snow or ice on Halloween. Make sure your child's footwear is non-slip and can handle the terrain. Kids become excited easily, and if they're like mine, there will be much running, jumping and dancing. The last thing anyone needs is to get a concussion from the sidewalk. Also make sure that they are warm enough. It may sound obvious, but costumes aren't designed for warmth. Make sure they have plenty of clothes underneath so they don't get a chill.
Even if you are planning on going out with your children, make sure you remind them of the rules about street safety. Cover things like what to do if they get lost and not to talk to strangers. Ensure they know some of the safe houses in your neighbourhood to go to if they need it, and review your telephone number and address with them.
Candy Trouble:
Now that you have a million bite-sized pieces of delicious garbage, it's time to set some limits. Feel free to let your kids have free reign and stuff themselves if that's what you prefer. I am not judging. I will however, provide some tips for those like me, whose children morph into lookalikes from another planet after too much sugar.
When we get home we count the candy. We sort by ingredients and preference into a bad ile and good pile, making sure there's exactly half in each. Then we give the kids a small but special new toy or book, in exchange for their bad half of candy. This way the kids are voluntarily giving away the half of their candy they can't eat, but also getting something they want instead. The good pile goes into a bowl on top of the fridge, and the other pile goes to friends who can eat it (or Daddy). They can have one or two pieces a day until it's gone. No problems, no tantrums, no arguments. It's a great system. J and E are so used to not eating junk food that we end up throwing out most of it anyway to make room for Easter eggs.
Whatever limits you choose to set (or not to set), make sure they are clear before trick or treating. Then it only takes a simple reminder when the kids' eyes glaze over looking at a mountain of candy. If there are tantrums of the "I WANT MORE" variety, I find it useful to say, "Well, if candy is causing this much stress, maybe we shouldn't have it in the house." That always works. Trust me.
Preparation:
First comes the costume. It's difficult for a child to be excited about Halloween if they don't know what they're going to dress up as. Personally, I was a bit unconventional when it came to dressing up. I didn't want the typical costumes, like a witch or TV character. Where's the fun in that? My litany of Halloween costumes included a pilot (complete with a plane attached to me), a car, and finally a table. Yes, I went as a table one year. I was lucky that my mom was very creative and handy with sewing.
My boys aren't so lucky. I am creative, but I have no skill at sewing or putting things together to look like something real. So far though, J has picked some pretty easy costumes for me to figure out. This year he is going as a Pokemon trainer, which requires a white shirt, blue vest, blue and white hat with a logo (I can figure that one out) and a green backpack. E is young enough that he can get away with a commercial costume and still look cute, so he will be a monkey.
Whether you made a costume, bought a costume, or bought and revised a costume for your kids, once that part is over you can move on to some other preparation. J is not a crafty sort (he must take after me), unless it comes to holidays. He loves themed crafts for the holidays, and he is constantly checking the calendar to see what's coming up next that we can glue something together for. I had to gently let him down about Columbus Day, before he got too excited. Please, if you know of any Columbus Day crafts, do pass them on.
Halloween crafts are much easier. Here's one of our personal favourites. Garbage bag ghosts. We stuff white kitchen garbage bags with balled up grocery bags, and tie a string around the neck. Then we either tie or duct tape them all around our front porch. Drawing a face on them with Sharpie is optional. They are quick, easy, and look great for Halloween. Another quick and easy one is to blow up some orange balloons and Sharpie Jack 'o Lantern faces on them. They can be hung outside or in a window. We purchased a dowel and made some construction paper chains to hang off of it. Fold the construction paper accordion-style and cut out shapes, leaving the edges intact. Use orange for pumpkins, white for ghosts, black for witchy hats and green for whatever you like. Then staple them together so they are longer and tie them to the dowel. Hang the dowel where people can see it from a window and voila! All the crafts above are quick enough that children can complete them without becoming too distracted, economical and easy to store for next year, and they don't look tacky.
Safety:
Now let's move on to Halloween night. Everyone knows it's important to be safe, so I won't dwell on that, but I will provide some easy ways to enhance safety. If you live in a neighbourhood like mine, it's quite possible that sometimes there will be about fifty kids at the same house. That makes it pretty hard to keep track of your own, especially if they are wearing a popular costume. I also have two other children to consider, because some of J's friends want to join us trick or treating. I will be putting a big X on the back of each of my charges with orange duct tape, so they can't get caught up in the crowds. I'll have a flashlight, just in case, but the street lights are probably enough to see the bright, orange tape by. I know many parents like the glowing necklaces for Halloween, but they are quickly becoming popular, and therefore, less distinctive.
Another concern is the weather forecast. We are the lucky ones who are supposed to get rain that evening. It's also possible in this country to have snow or ice on Halloween. Make sure your child's footwear is non-slip and can handle the terrain. Kids become excited easily, and if they're like mine, there will be much running, jumping and dancing. The last thing anyone needs is to get a concussion from the sidewalk. Also make sure that they are warm enough. It may sound obvious, but costumes aren't designed for warmth. Make sure they have plenty of clothes underneath so they don't get a chill.
Even if you are planning on going out with your children, make sure you remind them of the rules about street safety. Cover things like what to do if they get lost and not to talk to strangers. Ensure they know some of the safe houses in your neighbourhood to go to if they need it, and review your telephone number and address with them.
Candy Trouble:
Now that you have a million bite-sized pieces of delicious garbage, it's time to set some limits. Feel free to let your kids have free reign and stuff themselves if that's what you prefer. I am not judging. I will however, provide some tips for those like me, whose children morph into lookalikes from another planet after too much sugar.
When we get home we count the candy. We sort by ingredients and preference into a bad ile and good pile, making sure there's exactly half in each. Then we give the kids a small but special new toy or book, in exchange for their bad half of candy. This way the kids are voluntarily giving away the half of their candy they can't eat, but also getting something they want instead. The good pile goes into a bowl on top of the fridge, and the other pile goes to friends who can eat it (or Daddy). They can have one or two pieces a day until it's gone. No problems, no tantrums, no arguments. It's a great system. J and E are so used to not eating junk food that we end up throwing out most of it anyway to make room for Easter eggs.
Whatever limits you choose to set (or not to set), make sure they are clear before trick or treating. Then it only takes a simple reminder when the kids' eyes glaze over looking at a mountain of candy. If there are tantrums of the "I WANT MORE" variety, I find it useful to say, "Well, if candy is causing this much stress, maybe we shouldn't have it in the house." That always works. Trust me.
Thursday 24 October 2013
Zippers: The bane of my existence!!!!!
I need a moment to vent. Here's the problem. By March of last year, J had gone through four winter coats. Not because he outgrew them, not because they were stained or ripped, but because he destroyed the zipper on every one of them. So it w sin March that he began wearing a spring jacket, and I'm sure you can guess what happened next.
That's right, looks from other parents (and non-parents) that judged me for being an unfit mother, notes from the teacher saying he wasn't dressed appropriately, and lots of issues about the amount of sweaters he needed to wear underneath his thin jacket.
That's not the only problem we had last year though. He also went through five backpacks and three lunch bags, all due to the zipper being ripped off or broken. The same goes for sweaters. The only reason his pants last so long is because he is so skinny he doesn't need to use the zipper at all; he just pulls them right on.
I know boys are typically rough with their things, but it seems a little ridiculous to me that he breaks the zipper on everything. I was semi-prepared this year with an extra back pack, because I knew he wouldn't last ten months with just one. I was obviously being too optimistic by getting him two, because last week he broke the zipper on his first one. He came home and the entire zip part of the zipper was gone. The zipper itself was still done up, and he didn't bring home homework that night or finish his lunch at school because no one could get into the bag. The teacher tried, other kids tried, I think they even sent him to the office so the principal could try. I ended up opening the front pocket and cutting out the liner so we could get his stuff out of the main part of the bag. It's still usable, but now the opening is much smaller and he has no way to open the big zipper. The day before that, he broke the zipper on his lunch bag.
So it is with great trepidation that I introduced him to his new winter coat. Granted, it's a name brand that claims to repair zippers for free because of their quality guarantee, but he managed to break two zippers of the same "quality" brand last year. I still have the coats though, so I can always mail them to the company and get those zippers replaced so he has some extra. When I think of it, I envision myself sending so many coats through the mail that they forbid me to ever buy from them again. Free repairs can only last so long, right?
So here's where we stand, only a month and a half into school. He's onto his second backpack and his lunch bag has a taped up safety pin where the zipper should be, because Daddy has swiped his extra Ironman lunch bag for work. I fully intend to send the coats from last year back to the company to get the zippers replaced, but I am wishing that someone would invent a Velcro coat that is warm and dry enough for playing in the snow. I watch every day as that poor zipper is pulled mightily every way but up, and my heart stops when it catches the wrong way and only one side zips up. It's not broken yet, but it has only been three days that he's been wearing it.
If we can make it to the Christmas holiday, my wish list will be several lunch boxes, backpacks, and coats for good measure. If I'm lucky, ten of each may last until April.
That's right, looks from other parents (and non-parents) that judged me for being an unfit mother, notes from the teacher saying he wasn't dressed appropriately, and lots of issues about the amount of sweaters he needed to wear underneath his thin jacket.
That's not the only problem we had last year though. He also went through five backpacks and three lunch bags, all due to the zipper being ripped off or broken. The same goes for sweaters. The only reason his pants last so long is because he is so skinny he doesn't need to use the zipper at all; he just pulls them right on.
I know boys are typically rough with their things, but it seems a little ridiculous to me that he breaks the zipper on everything. I was semi-prepared this year with an extra back pack, because I knew he wouldn't last ten months with just one. I was obviously being too optimistic by getting him two, because last week he broke the zipper on his first one. He came home and the entire zip part of the zipper was gone. The zipper itself was still done up, and he didn't bring home homework that night or finish his lunch at school because no one could get into the bag. The teacher tried, other kids tried, I think they even sent him to the office so the principal could try. I ended up opening the front pocket and cutting out the liner so we could get his stuff out of the main part of the bag. It's still usable, but now the opening is much smaller and he has no way to open the big zipper. The day before that, he broke the zipper on his lunch bag.
So it is with great trepidation that I introduced him to his new winter coat. Granted, it's a name brand that claims to repair zippers for free because of their quality guarantee, but he managed to break two zippers of the same "quality" brand last year. I still have the coats though, so I can always mail them to the company and get those zippers replaced so he has some extra. When I think of it, I envision myself sending so many coats through the mail that they forbid me to ever buy from them again. Free repairs can only last so long, right?
So here's where we stand, only a month and a half into school. He's onto his second backpack and his lunch bag has a taped up safety pin where the zipper should be, because Daddy has swiped his extra Ironman lunch bag for work. I fully intend to send the coats from last year back to the company to get the zippers replaced, but I am wishing that someone would invent a Velcro coat that is warm and dry enough for playing in the snow. I watch every day as that poor zipper is pulled mightily every way but up, and my heart stops when it catches the wrong way and only one side zips up. It's not broken yet, but it has only been three days that he's been wearing it.
If we can make it to the Christmas holiday, my wish list will be several lunch boxes, backpacks, and coats for good measure. If I'm lucky, ten of each may last until April.
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