Seems I had my first NaBloPoMo slip up, but given that I'm not officially doing this, and it's just for fun, I'm not going to think twice about it.
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Yesterday LG and a friend went back and forth between our two houses. When they arrived--the friend's dad brought them back--he (a professor of economics) asked if I'd gotten anything done. The kids were great, he said, built a fort and kept to themselves (and it might be noted, entertained the younger brother (8) over there). Not really, I said, nodding in the general direction of Tiny Boy. Pretty much every toy was strewn across the living room floor, including a series of train sets. Yeah, he said, I forget about that.
I'm starting to see that there might be a time in the year future when Tiny Boy doesn't need an eye on him ALL THE TIME but we're not there yet. He knows how to undo every baby latch and gate in the house, and he's a climber (bookcases) and generally not the best when it comes to basic self-preservation instincts. He also has IDEAS, you know, like dumping paprika on a sheet of paper as part of an art project. And if LG is with him, there is often squabbling, hitting and general craziness. Divide and conquer.
So while my own weekends would be most enjoyable if there was something (vegetables, a chicken) roasting in the oven and I could drink a lot of tea and read books while my children play happily in the background, in reality our weekends go more smoothly if we get out of the house for a Tiny Boy friendly activity. Today there is a train show. Then I'm supposed to have a phone date with a friend three time zones west. And then the kids have ice skating lessons, during which time I will comment on some student writing so I can go into the work week a little less crazed.
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Yesterday LG and a friend went back and forth between our two houses. When they arrived--the friend's dad brought them back--he (a professor of economics) asked if I'd gotten anything done. The kids were great, he said, built a fort and kept to themselves (and it might be noted, entertained the younger brother (8) over there). Not really, I said, nodding in the general direction of Tiny Boy. Pretty much every toy was strewn across the living room floor, including a series of train sets. Yeah, he said, I forget about that.
I'm starting to see that there might be a time in the year future when Tiny Boy doesn't need an eye on him ALL THE TIME but we're not there yet. He knows how to undo every baby latch and gate in the house, and he's a climber (bookcases) and generally not the best when it comes to basic self-preservation instincts. He also has IDEAS, you know, like dumping paprika on a sheet of paper as part of an art project. And if LG is with him, there is often squabbling, hitting and general craziness. Divide and conquer.
So while my own weekends would be most enjoyable if there was something (vegetables, a chicken) roasting in the oven and I could drink a lot of tea and read books while my children play happily in the background, in reality our weekends go more smoothly if we get out of the house for a Tiny Boy friendly activity. Today there is a train show. Then I'm supposed to have a phone date with a friend three time zones west. And then the kids have ice skating lessons, during which time I will comment on some student writing so I can go into the work week a little less crazed.
Our twin boys are just a little younger than Tiny Boy, and like you, we find that our weekends are more enjoyable for us as a whole family unit if we get out of the house more. . . even though my husband and I would probably rather stay home and relax more. (Relaxing does not really happen at home while our sons are awake at this age.)
ReplyDeleteWe also do MUCH better if we are out of the house for at least one (if not several) activities on the weekends. My kids just fight constantly when they are together at home. On their own, the older one can play by himself for a long while; even the little one for short bursts. Together, however, they need constant supervision because if one isn't pushing the other down the stairs, they are hatching hare-brained plans usually involving climbing bookshelves or using a lot of glue.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I see it getting better when they get old enough to have their own friends/activities, but no sooner.