Ahhh dinner time. The time when the whole family sits down for a fabulous meal and interesting conversation. Yea, right! John found out why there are times I used to make frozen waffles for dinner. When basketball practice and drama started, he learned just how hectic life with children could become. The 11 year old had to be picked up at 4:30 from drama, and then the 8 year old at 5:00 from Girl Scouts. This wouldn’t have been too bad, except the 11 year old had basketball practice at 6:30. This meant that he had to drive 20 minutes home, get dinner ready, and leave by 6:10 to get her back to the school. Now, if we were to have lived in the city, there would be a plethora of choices for a nice dinner at a restaurant, but we don’t. When he got home, the 2 year old tripped over his own two feet and skinned his knee. Ten minutes gone. When he finally got everybody settled down so he could start making dinner, it was 5:40. Everyone had to be done eating in a half hour. He took out steaks for the grill that morning, but realized that that wasn’t going to happen, so he asked the three kids what they wanted for dinner.
“Cereal!” they all shouted in unison.
“We can’t have cereal for dinner, it’s a breakfast food,” was John’s reply.
“Waffles like Mommy makes then,” the 8 year old said.
John went to the freezer and pulled out the waffles, and popped two into the toaster. He went to get the butter and syrup.
“Where does Mommy keep the syrup?”
“I used the last of the bottle Saturday,” the 11 year old said to him, “didn’t you get more when you went shopping?”
The next thing John did, was to set four bowls and four spoons on the table. He went back to the kitchen and brought out milk and Cocoa Puffs.
“Dinners ready!”
Lesson five…..Sometimes Cocoa Puffs are our best friend, and waffles are not too shabby either.
Next Lesson…..Why you don’t take a toddler Christmas shopping.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Lesson 4 ..... Monsters in the Closet
Young children will be afraid of the monsters in their room at one time or another. Trying to show them they are not there will not work. You can turn the closet light on, and look under their beds, but when you leave, they will be back. John found there is a better way to get rid of the 2 year olds fear.
“Daddy, there’s a monster!” The two year old yelled as John was walking out of the room again for the third time of monster hunting.
“No buddy we just checked, remember? There was nothing there,” John reassured him.
“They are good hiders,” was our son’s reply.
John really needed to get the older two children to bed, but every time he went to leave panic struck the two year old. It was then that he came up with something that worked that day and every day since.
“THAT’S IT! ALL MONSTERS OUT OF THE ROOM OR YOU WILL BE IN TROUBLE! I’M THE DADDY AND I’M COUNTING TO THREE…..ONE…, TWO…, THREE!” John said in a stern voice.
“They’re all gone, buddy. They didn’t want to get a time out.”
“Thank you Daddy,” the two year old said to John.
“Good night buddy.”
“Night night Daddy.”
Every night after that, we have used this tactic and it has worked every time.
Lesson 4 ….. Sometimes we can’t show kids that there is nothing to be afraid of. Sometimes we have to kiss the boo-boos and scare away the monsters.
Next Lesson …… Coco Puffs aren’t just for breakfast anymore.
“Daddy, there’s a monster!” The two year old yelled as John was walking out of the room again for the third time of monster hunting.
“No buddy we just checked, remember? There was nothing there,” John reassured him.
“They are good hiders,” was our son’s reply.
John really needed to get the older two children to bed, but every time he went to leave panic struck the two year old. It was then that he came up with something that worked that day and every day since.
“THAT’S IT! ALL MONSTERS OUT OF THE ROOM OR YOU WILL BE IN TROUBLE! I’M THE DADDY AND I’M COUNTING TO THREE…..ONE…, TWO…, THREE!” John said in a stern voice.
“They’re all gone, buddy. They didn’t want to get a time out.”
“Thank you Daddy,” the two year old said to John.
“Good night buddy.”
“Night night Daddy.”
Every night after that, we have used this tactic and it has worked every time.
Lesson 4 ….. Sometimes we can’t show kids that there is nothing to be afraid of. Sometimes we have to kiss the boo-boos and scare away the monsters.
Next Lesson …… Coco Puffs aren’t just for breakfast anymore.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Lesson 3..... Kids and Homework
Kids not only do not like to do homework, they will do everything in their power to get out of it!
“I don’t feel good. I will do it in the morning.” The 11 year old told John.
“OK honey, go lay down and watch T.V.”
The next morning, John went to get her out of bed, but of course she didn’t want to get out of bed.
“Breakfast!” She finally came downstairs still in her PJs. She got done eating, slowly crept upstairs to get dressed.
“You’re gonna miss the bus! Lets go!”
By the time she was finished, she had 5 minutes before the bus came. As she was getting her sneakers on, John remembered she had homework to do.
“Did you do your homework this morning?”
“OOPS!”
Lesson 3 …… Unless they have a fever, bleeding out their eyes, or have a broken limb, make them do their homework right after they get home. If not, you will eventually get a letter asking you to come into the school to talk about your kid’s homework. And believe me, they are NO fun!
Nest Lesson ….. Don’t try to reason with a child about Monsters in the closet.
“I don’t feel good. I will do it in the morning.” The 11 year old told John.
“OK honey, go lay down and watch T.V.”
The next morning, John went to get her out of bed, but of course she didn’t want to get out of bed.
“Breakfast!” She finally came downstairs still in her PJs. She got done eating, slowly crept upstairs to get dressed.
“You’re gonna miss the bus! Lets go!”
By the time she was finished, she had 5 minutes before the bus came. As she was getting her sneakers on, John remembered she had homework to do.
“Did you do your homework this morning?”
“OOPS!”
Lesson 3 …… Unless they have a fever, bleeding out their eyes, or have a broken limb, make them do their homework right after they get home. If not, you will eventually get a letter asking you to come into the school to talk about your kid’s homework. And believe me, they are NO fun!
Nest Lesson ….. Don’t try to reason with a child about Monsters in the closet.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Lesson 2.....Girls Are Different
I asked John to make sure the 11 year old was up for school.
“Hey, are you up up there?” he yelled as he was going up the stairs.
John opened her door.
“DADDY!!!” the 11 year old yelled. She was half undressed.
John came down the stairs with a red face.
“What was that all about?” I asked him.
Lesson 2….KNOCK before entering your daughter’s room. Girls are different. They WILL become more self aware as they grow, and do not want their fathers seeing them in their birthday suit.
John now knocks on every door before opening it.
Next lesson.....kids don't like to do homework.
“Hey, are you up up there?” he yelled as he was going up the stairs.
John opened her door.
“DADDY!!!” the 11 year old yelled. She was half undressed.
John came down the stairs with a red face.
“What was that all about?” I asked him.
Lesson 2….KNOCK before entering your daughter’s room. Girls are different. They WILL become more self aware as they grow, and do not want their fathers seeing them in their birthday suit.
John now knocks on every door before opening it.
Next lesson.....kids don't like to do homework.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Stay-At-Home Dads.....Lesson 1
"Damn it," John yelled at the blown tire on the van.
"Damn it??" went the 2 year old. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it" the 2 year old sang. John looked at him with amusement first, horror seconds after.
"Don't say that Junior."
"Damn it!" the 2 year old said laughing and spinning in circles.
Lesson 1.....children ALWAYS repeat what they hear; good, bad, or ugly. Family secrets? Not if the toddler hears them. Squeaky bed? He will be sure to tell Grandma and Grandpa about it the next time he sees them.
John is now extremely careful about what he says within ear shot of the boy.
Next lesson.....girls are different.
"Damn it??" went the 2 year old. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it" the 2 year old sang. John looked at him with amusement first, horror seconds after.
"Don't say that Junior."
"Damn it!" the 2 year old said laughing and spinning in circles.
Lesson 1.....children ALWAYS repeat what they hear; good, bad, or ugly. Family secrets? Not if the toddler hears them. Squeaky bed? He will be sure to tell Grandma and Grandpa about it the next time he sees them.
John is now extremely careful about what he says within ear shot of the boy.
Next lesson.....girls are different.
Stay At Home Dads.....The Preview
I have been a stay at home mom since my daughter was born 11 and a half years ago. Getting used to shopping, eating, cleaning, relaxing (HAHA) with a child was a change I had to get used to and FAST! We now have three children 11, 8, and 2. Last June my husband, John, became unemployed, and is still looking for a job. He has had to learn how to be at home all day without going nuts. This hasn't been an easy transition for him. What I had to learn over the course of 11 years, and starting with only one child, he has had to learn instantly and with 3.
Watching him evolve as a parent has been not only heartwarming, but FUNNY! The mistakes he has made as a rookie, and how much he has learned has been the source of inspiration for this blog.
Watching him evolve as a parent has been not only heartwarming, but FUNNY! The mistakes he has made as a rookie, and how much he has learned has been the source of inspiration for this blog.
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