Raising a 4 year old in a household of much older brothers is a very different experience for me. When my older boys were this small, it was a very different household. I was a different mother. I was still forcing kids to finish their vegetables, go to bed at 8, and there was not a video game in the house. I worked full-time then, so their lives were full of structure. They went to pre-school all day, then we did dinner, baths, read & had a little play time, then off to bed. They had time-outs, and even the occasional spanking. I am so busy multi-tasking these days that if I do put Nick in time-out, I often forget he is there, and he just starts playing again-- totally ineffective I know. He plays DS, PlayStation 3, and XBox. He plays roller hockey, and can ride a skateboard. His vocabulary (while his speech is still a little difficult to understand), is like that of a 10 year old. He changes the channel on the TV, and says, "oh no, Mommy, we'd better change it, that isn't appropriate for me". He is definitely having a different toddler experience than his brothers did. In good ways too. We do everything together, like peas and carrots.
Summer is a wonderful time if you have the luxury to stay home with your kids and enjoy the slower pace. Lazy days, pool time, reading, outings, and spending time at the beach is good for the soul. If you are a parent who keeps your kids home with you vs. sending them to camp--- there is also a dark side to the lazy days of Summer. I know many Moms who say loud and proud, "I can't wait till Summer!! Oh yeah! Only 3 more weeks!!, Oh no! It's over already! We need a few more weeks!!" Are you one of those? Do you say it with a straight face? Ok, maybe you are sincere. Bully for you, you win the Mom medal. Those are NOT my people. I love my kids, don't get me wrong, I really do. I love reading time, and lego time, and swimming, and picnics at the beach-- as much as any other Mom. Let's get real for a minute though. We can't play down the other side of life with kids. The constant fighting The whining The meltdowns (yes one of our guys st...
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