MommyCoddle

a list on a thursday

1. We hit fifty today. They had to choose either something small for each of them or something bigger to share. They chose something to share–a little wicker picnic basket set. (there are great sales at Target right now on their summer stuff.) My original plan was to make them earn 100 cubes, but I switched to 50 when I thought it would take too long to get there. And here we are. I think it is important for them to taste success with a new system or else they become discouraged or bored. But I think we’ll slowly ‘up the ante.’ And by the way, they earn two cubes for going to bed without calling us in because that’s "kind to mommy and daddy." Three nights in a row, folks. It’s a beautiful thing.

2. Emma and Mary were playing the other day and Mary ripped something out of Emma’s mouth. It loosened one of emma’s bottom baby teeth. Any experience in this area? From what I’ve read it should tighten back up, right? Of course she’s thrilled about having a loose tooth and I’m getting quizzed about the whole toothfairy business. But it’s not time yet….

3. Emma’s obsession with horses is getting slightly out of hand. At first it was innocent and nice, but now I’m going a little crazy with all the pony talk. She’s such a determined child that when something gets in her brain, she can’t let it go. I think I’m going to have to rein her in a bit (ha.ha.) and encourage her to focus more on learning about ponies, learning to ride and be safe, rather than getting a pony.

4. I love freecycle. Last week I picked up a huge roll of mylar paper, the kind that architects use. I think it’s going to be great for making and altering patterns; and helpful when I want to make a pattern in more than one size. And when I responded to an ad for a very cool sounding two-drawer, notecard-sized filing cabinet, I met this local blogger. (this post of hers is really funny. the video is priceless.) We’re definitely going to get together soon and decide if we need to become best friends! 🙂

5. I let my 31st birthday come and go on this blog. But I have to tell you how much I love three of my presents. This…dishes are so much more fun with music playing in the background. And getting up in the morning and listening to the radio while you make breakfast–there’s something so peaceful and calm about that.

And I love this bag that my mom got me. It’s a great smaller version when I’m not using my other favorite.

And this little kitchen gadget…not sure how I managed without it. It does it all.

And of course, I received a potholder. We won’t discuss how much of the making process I was involved in. I acted very surprised when I opened it.

6. I should really begin putting a start time and end time on these blog posts…I started this one at 8:30 this morning. It is now 4:02, I’m typing with one hand b/c there’s a baby in my lap, I hear clanging in the kitchen, and there’s a pile of spilled granola on my living room floor….time. to. go.

And I love this bag that my mom got me. It’s a great smaller version when I’m not using my other favorite.

And this little kitchen gadget…not sure how I managed without it. It does it all.

And of course, I received a potholder. We won’t discuss how much of the making process I was involved in. I acted very surprised when I opened it.

8 Comments

MOTHERHOOD

cubes for peace

I know it couldn’t possibly be this simple and easy. It’s only been a week, but right now it is working.

We’ve been experiencing some typical sibling quarrels (that’s such a gentle word for it) and sibling competition around this house lately. I was getting pretty tired of hearing the mean voices all the time and the "I won. Me First" attitudes.

For example, when I bring in a drink of water to the girls at bedtime, each calls out, "me first!!" And if I happen to pass the glass to the other sibling, the one that is now having to wait a dehydrating twelve seconds for her drink of water, collapses into a heap of sorrow and torment on the bed.
I knew things were getting out of hand when I found myself carrying two cups of water in the room and doing my best to hand them off at the exact same moment.
Another example? The green cup, green bowl, green spoon issue. We have the set from IKEA that I’m sure most of you have. It comes in four different colors but for some reason each morning my children fight over the green. I don’t even think they know why they want the green ones, it’s just the fight that they like. It was to the point that the other morning when they started fighting over who got green, I walked over to the cupboard, pulled out the green cup, green bowl and green spoon and threw them all in the trash.
That’s one way to solve the problem, I suppose….

I’m usually not one to keep up with charts and graphs and reward systems when it comes to my children, but I decided to reach back into my elementary school teacher artillery and come up with a simple system.
I got myself a big bucket of non-interlocking centimeter cubes (they’ll come in handy for homeschooling, too) and an empty glass jar. In our family, the Bible is important to how we live and behave so we talked briefly about the "fruits of the Spirit"–love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And when I see these behaviours of kindness they get to put a cube in the jar. When they reach 50 cubes, they’ll get to pick something out of my bag of treasures.

They were very enthusiastic and it started out quite comically. I heard about ten random, "I love you, my sister"’s every few minutes. And I gave them cubes because I figured it was a place to start and better than the alternative. And now, I think, this kindness is becoming a bit of a habit. Mary still asks for cubes because she ate a good breakfast, but she’s slowly getting the idea.
And I’m seeing it overflow into other parts of their lives besides just their relationship with each other–yesterday they picked up sticks and put them on the burn pile (not burning at the time) to be helpful to my grandmother, without anyone asking. And Emma has been finding little ways to be helpful and kind to me, too.

So the simple system is working at the moment. Who knows how long it will last. We’ve got 34 cubes right now and marching towards fifty, so we’re getting there.

But it’s not perfect. In the course of writing this post–which sometimes takes me hours to complete–the girls went for a morning walk together (awww, so nice). And Mary came back crying and soaking wet head to toe because Emma filled a bucket with water from the hose and threw it on her. (oh, not so nice) But hey, they’re still kids being kids. Every child needs a bucket of water thrown on them now and then….or something like that….and if this doesn’t work, I might be getting in on that action myself.

I know it couldn’t possibly be this simple and easy. It’s only been a week, but right now it is working.

So the simple system is working at the moment. Who knows how long it will last. We’ve got 34 cubes right now and marching towards fifty, so we’re getting there.

30 Comments

something scary, something sweet

"E" is for….not afraid of bugs anymore. (although suddenly extremely afraid of a toad that shows his face on my grandmother’s stoop each evening. I will admit he’s a little unnerving.)

a (forced) study in cicadas….since little hands have scattered and forgotten them all over my house. I had to remove one from my laptop before I could open it. icky.

escape route:

Now for the sweet.
Have you experienced the unequaled sweetness of a white peach? They are in their prime here. I cannot get enough.
They do enjoy sunning themselves in a kitchen window sill. Preferably one with a nice view.

"E" is for….not afraid of bugs anymore. (although suddenly extremely afraid of a toad that shows his face on my grandmother’s stoop each evening. I will admit he’s a little unnerving.)

a (forced) study in cicadas….since little hands have scattered and forgotten them all over my house. I had to remove one from my laptop before I could open it. icky.

escape route:

18 Comments