Rainy Day Lessons
I'll be honest. I am positive my kid(s) watch too much TV.
Everyday varies and no two days are the same. I've been guilty of checking off in a questionnaire that my kids watch 1-2 hours of TV, when in reality its closer to 3 or 4. On occasion, if we've seen that one movie three times in a row, as some days we do, we're probably at 5 or 6 hours. Like I said, I am positive they watch too much TV.
So in an effort to avail myself of Mommy guilt and have better options for my children, I started googling indoor projects. I would take them outside to play for half the day, but as luck would have it I'm in the middle of a 3 day raining stint.
So based on past experiences and what I've discovered the past couple of days, here is what I am learning:
1) Any indoor projects created take more time setting up and cleaning up that actual time spent on the activity. While the article or activity guide promises "hours" of play- I'm lucky if I get 30 minutes. It's usually more like 10 minutes.
2) Any activity or project created will invariably be stressful with a toddler added to the mix. My almost 3 year old is in fact a preschooler now, and my one year old is a toddler. And when the toddler wants to get involved in the activity, mayhem begins to occur.
3) The preschooler will not be entertained by the activity for longer than 5 minutes, unless I am involved. My involvement and guidance extends his enjoyment and success of the activity. Otherwise, it becomes a passing thought quicker than not. So I must also be involved for the entire length of the activity.
4) Due to the guidance required for the preschooler and the desire of involvement by the toddler these activities do serve to entertain the children and do absolutely nothing to free up my hands or time.
5) During these activities, I am required to morph into an Octopus. Two hand are needed to help the preschooler, two hands are needed to keep the toddler from destroying whatever project we are working on, two hands are needed to push around the accumulated mess from getting in the way, and two hands needed to rub out the stress induced kinks rapidly developing on my neck and shoulders.
6) I have learned that reading time, dance party time, music time, art time, and free play time can easily fit into a 2 hour slot. Thus leaving me with 6 more hours tying to figure out what else to do and standing around baffled as to how to move forward.
On a more positive note, I have learned that my kids love music. I hit the activity jackpot when all 3 of us sat down, with 2 jumbo popsicle sticks in each of our hands and played the drums along with Disney music on my Pandora station. Here was an activity that both boys equally enjoyed. Both boys can do simultaneously. It was amazing. The activities for entertaining both boys rarely overlap except ofcourse when TV and snacks are involved. It was magical. All 10 minutes of it.
So now, as the day winds down and I count the minutes until my husband gets home, I sit and type while my kids watch TV. They watched alot less than they usually do. And I am alot more tired and stressed that I usually am. Go figure. Atleast I don't feel guilty, right?
Everyday varies and no two days are the same. I've been guilty of checking off in a questionnaire that my kids watch 1-2 hours of TV, when in reality its closer to 3 or 4. On occasion, if we've seen that one movie three times in a row, as some days we do, we're probably at 5 or 6 hours. Like I said, I am positive they watch too much TV.
So in an effort to avail myself of Mommy guilt and have better options for my children, I started googling indoor projects. I would take them outside to play for half the day, but as luck would have it I'm in the middle of a 3 day raining stint.
So based on past experiences and what I've discovered the past couple of days, here is what I am learning:
1) Any indoor projects created take more time setting up and cleaning up that actual time spent on the activity. While the article or activity guide promises "hours" of play- I'm lucky if I get 30 minutes. It's usually more like 10 minutes.
2) Any activity or project created will invariably be stressful with a toddler added to the mix. My almost 3 year old is in fact a preschooler now, and my one year old is a toddler. And when the toddler wants to get involved in the activity, mayhem begins to occur.
3) The preschooler will not be entertained by the activity for longer than 5 minutes, unless I am involved. My involvement and guidance extends his enjoyment and success of the activity. Otherwise, it becomes a passing thought quicker than not. So I must also be involved for the entire length of the activity.
4) Due to the guidance required for the preschooler and the desire of involvement by the toddler these activities do serve to entertain the children and do absolutely nothing to free up my hands or time.
5) During these activities, I am required to morph into an Octopus. Two hand are needed to help the preschooler, two hands are needed to keep the toddler from destroying whatever project we are working on, two hands are needed to push around the accumulated mess from getting in the way, and two hands needed to rub out the stress induced kinks rapidly developing on my neck and shoulders.
6) I have learned that reading time, dance party time, music time, art time, and free play time can easily fit into a 2 hour slot. Thus leaving me with 6 more hours tying to figure out what else to do and standing around baffled as to how to move forward.
On a more positive note, I have learned that my kids love music. I hit the activity jackpot when all 3 of us sat down, with 2 jumbo popsicle sticks in each of our hands and played the drums along with Disney music on my Pandora station. Here was an activity that both boys equally enjoyed. Both boys can do simultaneously. It was amazing. The activities for entertaining both boys rarely overlap except ofcourse when TV and snacks are involved. It was magical. All 10 minutes of it.
So now, as the day winds down and I count the minutes until my husband gets home, I sit and type while my kids watch TV. They watched alot less than they usually do. And I am alot more tired and stressed that I usually am. Go figure. Atleast I don't feel guilty, right?
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| Noodle Building Blocks |
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| Time spent with this activity today: 5 minutes |
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| Letter search/ match |
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| We got this far and he declared "All Done" Time spent: 15 or 20 minutes |
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| Joel enjoyed finger painting. Paint in a plastic ziplock bag did not amuse Alvaro. |
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