Going on vacation during Spring Break can be what’s on everyone’s minds…but what if it just isn’t in the budget? Or what if you have a 4 month old at home and even thinking about traveling and staying in a hotel…dragging TONS of baby gear, working around naptimes, etc. just doesn’t sound enticing (Ahem…this couldn’t possibly be us right now-LOL)? What is a family to do?
In comes the art of the ‘Stay’cation!
I blinked…yep…my baby is now 3 months old and I can’t even believe it. This is our last child so, as you can imagine, we are savoring each and every minute, every coo, every milestone…as it is our last to experience until our grand-babies are born. I know, a little too sentimental, right?!? Not when you know it is your last time to experience these things.
I can’t help but to grieve a bit when it comes to our last child. It can be hard as a parent to watch the days tick by quickly and feel out of control as they are growing more quickly than you are comfortable with. We have made it a point to make each moment count, not just with our last child but all three girls. The first two go-arounds we didn’t savor time, I got caught in the craziness of constant play dates and activities, and we certainly stayed BUSY! This go-around has been a different story. My calendar is more clear, I don’t mind staying home and just being mommy for a while, I watch my kids nap (I truly love just watching them sleep), and I am more focused on the relationship I am creating with my kids.
I know many people work and don’t have an opportunity to watch their kids nap or stay home and keep the schedule clear so I have created a list of things you can do as a family, as parents, etc. to make every moment count with your kids…because before you know it, they will be off making their own memories with their own kids and you will have wished time had slowed down.
Grace………………..>>>>>>>>>
Give yourself LOTS of grace as you transition into a new norm. Having a new baby in the house is like having a long lost relative from another country come to live with you. You don’t know their routine, they are needy because everything is new, they can’t do things for themselves, they may have their day and night backwards because of where they are from or time change is an issue for them, they depend solely on you and your company until they are ready to branch out and do things on their own.
YIKES right!?!
When it comes to cold weather, staying inside seems like the best option when littles are present…especially newborns. The weather has been unbelievably cold in Ohio this winter and leaving the house just isn’t doable…nor am I excited to do so. I would have to get 3 kids bundled tightly, spend 30 minutes loading them into the car and getting them buckled into their carseats, etc. In other words, no thank you! LOL
I LOVE traditions…especially around the holidays! Our family has started some pretty neat traditions that I think are worth sharing. From spending a day baking Christmas cookies to packing the kids in the car and driving around looking at Christmas lights, we have started some traditions that I simply cannot go a season without.
We have all done it. I know that with my youngest, between play dates and extra-curriculars, we were always on the go. I dealt with meltdowns, tantrums, etc. just to fulfill the daily activities I had planned. Don’t get me wrong, I love to stay busy, but when it came to my second daughter, I decided to change the schedule up a bit. We have played more at home, said “no” to more play dates than “yes,” gone to less scheduled activities and enjoyed being each others’ company. The conclusion I have come to is that tantrums are less frequent, meltdowns are non-existent, and the one-on-one time I am getting with my second born is priceless.
So our oldest daughter decided about a year ago that she no longer enjoyed reading. It was the “boring” thing to do, it took away from play time and getting her to read on her own was, well, an impossible task. I found myself asking why other kids LOVED books and my daughter was turning up her nose at the thought of cracking one open.
Being a former teacher, books are OOBER IMPORTANT to me. For one, I know that statistics prove the more your read to your child and have them read to you, the more they learn. Reading is linked to vocabulary development, cognitive understanding, and overall growth in academics. So why is my oldest daughter displaying distaste toward reading?
In our house, we are in a stage where board games are a hot commodity. My girls LOVE Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Headbandz, Guess Who?, Enchanted, etc. Basically if it is a board game, we are all in! I love that we can turn the television off, relax with one another, have some good laughs and enjoy the company of being a family. I believe this art of “gaming” is transforming into an art of “video gaming.” Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for video games (we aren’t in that phase of life and probably won’t be anytime soon) but there needs to be a consistent push for parents to require “family time” on a weekly basis. If we allow kids to isolate themselves at an early age, I believe it only hinders the future relationship parents will have with their children.
As much as I LOVE summer and all that happens during the summer months, fall has a special place in my heart. I love the leaves changing, the weather getting crisp but not quite bitter and most of all, the festivals. If you haven’t made your way to any this month yet, you’re in luck because there are 2 left that are worth checking out. Unfortunately the end of the month is sooner than later so make sure to check out the following festivals:
Who is in the driver’s seat in the house? Is it you? Your child(ren)? Sometimes balance can be tricky…especially when it comes to a child with disabilities. Balance is one thing every parent strives to conquer and usually fails before getting it right.
As parents, we tell our children what to do. It is our job to set limits and boundaries, and teach them how to behave and be respectful. I would imagine I bark orders at my kids at least 20 times a day: “Be nice to your sister.” “Get dressed.” “Sit up.” “Chew with your mouth closed.” “Clean up your toys.” These are just a few of the everyday utterances that leave my mouth.