I hear you have house guests for the summer. Your children!
That's how it feels when the kids are out of school for the summer. Yes, they live with you but they have never lived with you as much as they do when school is out for the balmy season.
Preschool parents thought this wasn't a big deal. The big deal about school being out would hit that first summer you experience between kindergarten and first grade. Ha....ha....ha.
First off I am so glad that the good Lord above granted me the brains to space my kids out more than one or two years since I'm doing this whole stay at home mom gig. If I were cut from the stair step baby having cloth I'd be in a dark dark place right now. For those of you who wear that dress - go on with ya bad selves and sport it with some high heels.
I have a five year old and a nine month old. My five year old is awesome sauce. She helps with the baby and plays with him (mainly teacher because she's always reading to him and cool stuff that really helps me out). I do not have to entertain my five year old constantly. Constantly is the key word!!!
Here's the deal pickles....babies are easy. They like to watch the older kids play, they like to beat the floor with wooden spoons, they like to have staring matches with dogs. Babies are easy. When that baby stage ends and they are toddlers or preschoolers then its GAME ON.
My five year old is a school age kid. Do you know what that really means? That means she wants to be in constant motion. We do not veg out here....we constantly stoke the coal burning train that is running circles around the mountain of our home. I have to keep her busy, within limits, so neither of us go crazy. Today I share what I do for sanity saving summer at home.
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Five is a fun age (four was a fun age, three was the year Satan came to inhabit our home, two was precious, one was adorable). You can have good conversations with a five year old. They aren't limited to the Dora/Diego experience anymore. I have great conversations with my kid. Just yesterday she let one rip while I was fixing her hair and I said, "That's not nice, C. What do you say?" To which she said sorry then asked the million dollar question: "Is kindergarten a fart free place? Sometimes I cannot hold it in mama." Teachers could only wish it was fart free....dear God that smell. Could you imagine tiny humans imploding due to the gas building up?
It is imperative you have conversations with your little ones. Don't assume they can't conversate with you about things other than Barbie Dream Houses and what they built with their Tinker Toys. They can and will and are awaiting the opportunity to chat with you, Mom and Dad.
Here is what we did yesterday to spark some conversation and get some ideas for summer fun in place with:
I find it so interesting how a five year old, who normally thinks out of the box, decides to be totally in the proverbial box when I ask her to list out what she wants to do this summer. I only got a few fun responses - or maybe I should say typical zany five year old esque responses.
While the baby was snoozing we went to the porch and made a Summer Fun To Do List. (As pinned on Pinterest under my To Do May Board.
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| All you need is some poster board, markers, and your children. I do think adults should do this too. OH wait we do haha...he he he ugh for non fun stuff. |
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| The cool part about this activity: your kids can work on their penmanship (struggle here) and spelling. I guess I should throw in that whole brainstorming idea too. We made it "cute" by turning our bubbles into sea creatures.
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Engage your kids in conversation. I dare you.
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Already I have received a couple tweets and three Facebook messages about what we do to get through the days now that school is out. Just remember routine is the precious stone you cannot live without when small kids are involved.
Here are my weekly go-to plans for my little ducklings:
1. We are signed up for VBS. I know not everyone who reads this blog is into church or even identifies with Christianity but if you do and if you are open to letting your children experience other or just faith in general these are great resources. Vacation Bible School (VBS) is free and offered throughout the summer in various churches across the country. I have never seen a VBS that requires payment - they are all free (and as soon as I type this someone will email and say First Presbybaptistmethoespiclutheran charges!). You get three to five mornings or evenings where your kids can do crafts, learn stories, sing songs, eat a snack, and play with peers. It is a phenomenal resource and snake handling free (I hope). We do two VBS in June and two in July. If you are a stay at home mom you'll love the ones that are in the morning! They give you a breather. I wish I had known about one this week in our area that was in the morning but oh well....
2. We are YMCA members. If I don't go sweat I don't feel good. I don't mean the sweat induced by being outside, I mean the one induced by me working my body. The awesome advantage? The kids get to play with other kids for about 90minutes. They get a break from mommy and a new environment to play in and I get healthy. Being members means we also have the advantage of putting the kids in camps through out the summer at a reduced rate. This year we are doing swim lessons to build confidence in the water (baffles me, kid can swim but has zero confidence). They'll take a week and be a good thirty minutes reprieve for us both.
3. The library loves kids. They may not like the loudness of children but they love the kids in there, reading, and taking part in their summer reading programs. These are also free (yes, I know I'm sure the charge in Texarkana or where ever). Our library offers free movies on the projector screen (bring lunch and a blanket), magicians, all kinds of fun stuff for kids.
4. City and County parks are generally free. Need I say more? We like to go early in the a.m. before the heat kills the ability for a five year old to function.
5. Pools should not be passed up. We are totally blessed to have our own pool (well my mom's) and go whenever the need arises (yes need people). Look into a membership to a private pool if you don't have one to maintain yourself (and you don't want that)....it will be worth your time!
6. There is no "stay inside" ideology in this house. Who really wants to be cooped up in a house with kids? Only someone who is mentally off balance. Get the heck outside. Lather on the sunscreen, fill up a kiddie pool, get out the sidewalk chalk, pull out the library books and enjoy the gift of summer. You can even eat out there! Kids do not need television to survive. Trust me.
7. Just like the way kids think outside the box so do parents. What is something fun you can do with your kids but you've been leery about? Buy some finger paint and large bolts of paper and let them paint the paper outside, or better yet do a pudding paint! Invite others over so the kids have a new diversion - a different playmate! Get on Pinterest....I guess its the new thinking out of the box addiction.
8. Buy them a classic toy that may not fit the mold of your kid. For example, my little girl is all ballerinas/fairies/mermaids/princesses. However, if you take away her Legos she is lost. Legos are exceptional toys - they stimulate so much in the brains of those midget versions of yourself. Drawing is also an exceptional way to play and explore and get that noggin working.
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Don't go crazy this summer - go creative!
Brownie
Share it for all your friends to see.
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