Ok, I'll admit it, our house can get quite loud... if it's not guitars and amps, or dogs barking, it's kids (ok, I'll admit it- most of the time it's kids). We do 'loud' really well in this family and we have a great time doing it. Since I finally got things organized in the basement, it has been great having the kids go down there (which allows me quiet to read... have a conversation with Jeff...), but tonight one piece of equipment wasn't down there that they wanted to play on... THEIR FATHER!
They all decided it was time to use daddy as a jungle gym and it was great fun. I grabbed my camera and while most of the pictures turned out fuzzy (since they were going so fast), I did get a great video of Sean laughing. It's fun that he is getting in on the play with the Bigs and I love that he is also starting to laugh socially... they laugh, he laughs. It's become a game to see who can make Seany laugh the hardest (and the volume goes up)...
But often times in the midst of the laughter, there will suddenly be bursts of tears, and that is what happened tonight- first Sean (and it was not frustration tears but PAIN tears) and then it was Zach (remorseful tears). It seems with all the wrestling (in the photo you see here), Sean put his fingers in Z's mouth, and he didn't like that so he bit him!
We didn't have to say much, he went right to the 'Time-Out Chair" and in the end, his tears lasted much longer than Sean's. We have never spanked our children and never will since we don't believe it's ever right to hit another human being (no matter their age) and want to instill that belief in our kids. We used to 'time' how long they should have a time-out (one minute for each year they've been alive). Time-outs have taken on a new meaning now though- the kids usually go there on their own, spend time there (often longer than we would have had them sit) and then they go and apologize to the person they need to and that person says, "I forgive you." (unless they are Sean who doesn't talk quite yet...) The Bigs will often go to their room to cool off and think things over and come down. They are really able to talk things through after some time and we've had some great conversations. Z is still pretty young but I did get his perspective on the whole thing after he had calmed down. He was a bit silly on video (hence his nickname Silly Goose)- but I feel like he grows so fast- so felt like getting his 'take' on what happened in his 3 year old mind- he's right though, in this family just like we don't hit people, we don't bite people... we bite food!
I love they way the kids played on your husband like a jungle gym!! Jacob and I love doing that to!! I agree with you and the no spanking.. Time outs work great for me!! Hugs! ;-)
The video of Zach is so cute. My 2 1/2 year old just suddenly and unexpectedly bit my arm the other day, and it hurt so insanely bad. I still have a purple bruise. I think they sometimes get this animal-like urge and just do it!
It's getting to me... I don't know if it's the sleep deprivation or the crazy schedule of being a full time working mom and having four kids at home... but it's getting to me. I am so tired. Last night I was up at midnight with Sean, then at 2:30 with Joe who was sick and threw up, I got back to bed at 3 and slept for 15 minutes until Sean woke up again. I let him cry for 45 MINUTES until I could take it no more, staggered into his room and nursed him. And then I was up before six to start my day which looks something like this.. Wake up, shower, get ready for work prior to kids waking up... (praying that they don't wake up) then waking the bigs who can dress themselves, and getting Zach changed and dressed, then downstairs to make breakfast for three bigs while putting together pump parts to take to school (that were drying over-night), clean up from breakfast, meds for Zach which now include a breathing treatment (from last Tuesday's doc apt), shoes on a...
Well, we knew this day would come. Prayed that it would be clear and it was. On Sunday night I laid with Cobi as I have (more so in recent weeks). He asked to go outside at one point and he was out longer than usual. I called for him to come inside and he didn't come. I had been cleaning the kitchen and I thought perhaps I had let him inside. My brain isn't the best. I ran upstairs and to all his favorite places, but he was nowhere to be found. I grabbed my shoes, wrapped my arms around me and went out to the cold calling for my baby, in a panic. He came to me slowly from out in the darkness and when we got inside I sat with him, wrapped my arms around him and cried. As promised. He had told me. This was it. Somehow I went to school and made the call. The last appointment of the day was at 5:20pm and since Joey wasn't getting home until 6:00, I took it as a consult and then also booked the first appointment for t...
So some of you know that I have two blogs. This blog- which has reflected on my day to day adventures with my living children, things I love and the occasional "Pause" blog where I remember my angels. My other blog (That I refer to as my 'Pause' blog) has been an entire blog about my angels-a therapy to me in a sense- how they've changed me, restored me and helped me. I have met a huge community of mothers who have lost children and have been nominated by two of them for this Honest Scrap award (for my 'Pause' blog) The idea is similar to the last 'award' I wrote about, my new friends stated in their blogs that: The award is about bloggers who post from their heart, who write from the depths of their soul. In order to accept the award I must nominate seven fellow bloggers as recipients, and then list ten honest and interesting things about myself. So- although I was nominated on 'Pause'- I'm writing on 'Days' because I have sh...
I love they way the kids played on your husband like a jungle gym!! Jacob and I love doing that to!! I agree with you and the no spanking.. Time outs work great for me!! Hugs! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe video of Zach is so cute. My 2 1/2 year old just suddenly and unexpectedly bit my arm the other day, and it hurt so insanely bad. I still have a purple bruise. I think they sometimes get this animal-like urge and just do it!
ReplyDeleteNow turn it off!!! That's a sweet video. He did not want to say that he made Sean cry. I love your house rules.
ReplyDelete