Keeping Toddler Hands (and Minds) Busy

Hey y'all,

A few entries ago, I discussed the importance of the first few minutes in your child's day, and how you can utilize those moments to set the tone of their day and relationships with those around them. I mentioned that I had begun seizing these moments to read to Katie Jo first thing in her morning. We were seeing positive effects on her mood with this effort. However, it is unrealistic to expect these positive effects to last all day on a two-year-old. Thus, in the afternoons, we were still struggling to maintain emotional control. Of course, I eventually found myself on the phone with my mom venting about such frustrations; and she reminded me of something she had discovered when my third brother was small.

We had begun homeschooling that year and my mom had five children and a husband that was deployed. She was brand new to the world of educating her own children; and one could say she was biting off more than she could chew in keeping five young children stimulated and entertained for all hours of every day from then on.
Because she was busy handing out, over-seeing, and grading school lessons for four of those children, my youngest brother, who was a toddler at the time, found himself strapped in his highchair with small, stimulating tasks, throughout the weekdays.

She discussed this with me and the effects she believed such time had on my brother (who is graduating high school this year).
Because I was unsure what else to try, I took her advice, and we immediately began implementing an "activity time" into our morning routine.

We are on Day 3 of this method today and it has had even more of a positive impact on my kids than spending that time in the morning (though I do still do that*). We started with 15 minutes of coloring while I did my homework, all three of us seated at the table. We stressed quietly sitting -- and they didn't ask me to get down for nearly 30 solid minutes! They didn't fight, they didn't so much as speak a single word! Just concentrated on their coloring pages.
The next day we cycled between coloring and playdough.
Today we added some puzzles.
The fighting has been extremely minimal, Mason's patience for sitting still is growing by leaps and bounds, and Katie has been such a joy to be around! Wow! Who knew all it would take was some intentional stimulation on my part? And I'm finally getting my homework done consistently instead of cramming. Double win!

*However, we came up with a slight problem in our early-morning routine: Katie didn't really desire to read first thing in the morning anymore and I grew frustrated. Now her behavior was excellent in the afternoon, but not so great again in the mornings. Oi.
Then I got an idea: how about bringing some of that intentional stimulation into our early-morning time? The next morning, I tried it: we read a book with animals, and then looked up each animal on youtube, watching short clips of each one. She had such a ball and talked about it all weekend! So this morning we read another book, and then we drew and identified some shapes (I noticed her favorite show on the Baby Channel is called "Shapes School".) She astounded me with what she already knew and she was so joyful learning first thing in the morning! It took ten minutes out of my morning while the oatmeal cooked for breakfast.



Today is a slow and easy morning. My house is basically a complete wreck from the weekend. Jacob got 3 calls within 10 minutes around 3:15am; and after he left I only had nightmares about somebody assaulting me and my dog(???), so I'm tired.

Yesterday I bathed the dogs, which turned them into fluffy, nice-smelling clouds of fur. Even after all the rain and mud yesterday, and even though she is Bloodhound and therefore a terrible roller, Lexi still is fluffy and smells nice today. Thus, they each have gotten all the hugs and pets from myself; and I remembered what an aesthetic loving on the animals is for me. Sometimes that can get lost in the day-to-day busyness of caring for two toddlers and being a wife.

Also, my kids slept in today; and it's cold and yucky out. So, even though I could make a list of a million things that I need to do, I've decided to chill out and enjoy a slow morning. I got my shower, read my Bible, fed the farm, made some handsoap, and brewed a cup of good coffee -- because I already needed the pick-me-up; because my hands were cold after working outside; because there's nothing I enjoy more than starting my day with a warm mug of something. (Yesterday it was soup while I tucked into a dining chair to study and the morning was misty-grey outside.)

I also found myself expressing a long prayer of gratitude for things like fluffy dogs, warm mugs of coffee, the talent to express myself through writing in my journal, the ability to let myself have a slow morning, the strength and courage He sends to uphold me on days when I'm utterly exhausted but still have to parent the terrible-twos. Heart-felt gratitude in the mornings can go a long way toward improving our day, no matter the circumstances.

My point here is that even though it is a Monday with plenty that needs to be done, I am choosing to breathe; and so set my intentions for my day -- and my week.


And my biggest overall point is: be intentional always.

Working on getting soil in the garden beds prepped these days.

2/4 ready for planting!

That look of determination...

Proud

This week we added tomatoes to the indoor-planting sill.

The grandparents' well sprung a leak on our way out to a party together.

Good thing Mason was there to fix it (aka shout instructions from where he was
confined in the truck).

We were out shopping on Sunday and I would just like to applaud whoever ended up
making this decision for themselves. I'm so proud of you! Life-changing moment right here. lol