"Boys will be boys"
"it's a boy thing"
"boys and their toys"....
All really nice generalisations about boys but I have often wondered about how much we can influence boys and/or girls and how much is instinctive.
We never set out to treat Alex in a certain way. We let him play with Megans' dolls and he absoltuely loves wearing her dress up shoes and putting hair clips in his hair. I grizzled when the only colour available was blue and the only design was trucks. I wasn't looking for pink for him (though that's ok) but I just hated that everything was pre-determined- boys wear blue trucks, girls wear pink fairies... and don't get me started on trying to find things other than pink for a red-haried little girl either!!.
Despite all our "neutral-ness", Alex is still very boy-y. We cannot go past road works without him oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over the diggers and dozers, he points out every bus and truck we see, and he can hear a plane flying overhead long before anyone else can.
He is also completely obsessed with balls. We have about 25 in all shapes and sizes and despite having so many, he is over the moon if someone gives him a new one.
So I wonder just how much we can influence the primal interests. I'm sure if Alex only had dolls and pink clothes he would still squeal with delight if a motorbike goes past!
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Slack...
It's almost March! I can't believe it. I must have blinked and missed Jan and Feb!!
I feel we have been so busy lately, but we haven't really done a great deal. Our routine hasn't changed greatly. I have cut down one day of work, but have added in evening swimming lessons for both kids and a kinder session on Fridays.
Add to that, late night meetings at work, information evenings at creche and a "welcome" kinder bbq. All of these I would normally jump at as something interesting and different, but all in one week?...I'd really rather not!
Getting into new routines after school holidays has meant that other things have fallen by the wayside-
"I'll get back into that, once (insert new task) is organised". Blogging is one, running is another.
Nice people use the word "busy". "Slack" is the word I use :(
I'm hoping March will slow down a bit, but if not, Easter holidays are right around the corner!
I feel we have been so busy lately, but we haven't really done a great deal. Our routine hasn't changed greatly. I have cut down one day of work, but have added in evening swimming lessons for both kids and a kinder session on Fridays.
Add to that, late night meetings at work, information evenings at creche and a "welcome" kinder bbq. All of these I would normally jump at as something interesting and different, but all in one week?...I'd really rather not!
Getting into new routines after school holidays has meant that other things have fallen by the wayside-
"I'll get back into that, once (insert new task) is organised". Blogging is one, running is another.
Nice people use the word "busy". "Slack" is the word I use :(
I'm hoping March will slow down a bit, but if not, Easter holidays are right around the corner!
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Routines and responsibility....
I'm big on routine. It fits well with my organised brain.
Finding routine with ever growing kids is hard though. It took 3 months to sort out the routine for Alex as a 6month old baby and then he's 9 months old and needs a different routine!
It is getting easier with toddler/pre-school kids. Their needs aren't changing as much and they are able to help out more. Giving them a routine and responsibility has made them feel useful and grown up.
For example~ we have a strict rule that if shoes are taken off, they get put away. I hate having random shoes strewn about the house. So now both kids know they have a shoe basket under the bed and that's where the shoes go. Even the Alex at 2yo can manage.
Clothes are making it to the hampers in the laundry and library books get read then returned to the library bags ( very important in a house full of books- easy to lose!)
The newest is Megan is learning to set the table. She is proud of herself and it's one less job we have to do at hectic dinner time.
As they get older we will have to add to the list of "helping jobs". They'll love it and it help us.
Finding routine with ever growing kids is hard though. It took 3 months to sort out the routine for Alex as a 6month old baby and then he's 9 months old and needs a different routine!
It is getting easier with toddler/pre-school kids. Their needs aren't changing as much and they are able to help out more. Giving them a routine and responsibility has made them feel useful and grown up.
For example~ we have a strict rule that if shoes are taken off, they get put away. I hate having random shoes strewn about the house. So now both kids know they have a shoe basket under the bed and that's where the shoes go. Even the Alex at 2yo can manage.
Clothes are making it to the hampers in the laundry and library books get read then returned to the library bags ( very important in a house full of books- easy to lose!)
The newest is Megan is learning to set the table. She is proud of herself and it's one less job we have to do at hectic dinner time.
As they get older we will have to add to the list of "helping jobs". They'll love it and it help us.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
The start of something new...
Megan started 3yr old kinder last week. She loved it, I wasn't upset, so a win all round...
Here are some of the things she did in the short orientation visit she had.
Here are some of the things she did in the short orientation visit she had.
Such a big girl now...
playdough and glueing...couldnt have asked for anything she would rather do!
Playing on the climbing frame and trampoline
playing with the super-huge dolls house.
She had a such a great time and even when I told her she would be staying for much longer next time and I wasn't going to to be staying, she was fine..."Ok mum".
Looks like she has settled in really well!
Boys....
They say men are from Mars and women are from Venus, so I guess boys are from outer space somewhere too!
They are just a whole new species to me! I have always had a man/boy in the house my whole life (dad, brother, husband) but having my own little boy has highlighted just how different they are to little girls.
Here are some the things I have discovered about boys....
If this is what my 2year-old boy is like, looks like I'm in for an interesteing ride to come!
They are just a whole new species to me! I have always had a man/boy in the house my whole life (dad, brother, husband) but having my own little boy has highlighted just how different they are to little girls.
Here are some the things I have discovered about boys....
- They are loud.
- They take up loads more space.
- They need to move almost constantly.
- They LOVE rough and tumble games.
- They love to be thrown, flown, swooped around.
- They can pick themselves up even after the nastiest of crashes or bangs.
- They still need mum, even if its to kiss the sore spot better before heading off to keep playing.
- They don't like clothes.
- They learn very quickly how to take off nappies.
- They wee as soon as the afore-mentioned nappy has been taken off!
If this is what my 2year-old boy is like, looks like I'm in for an interesteing ride to come!
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Finally...?
We have had loads of trouble with Alex sleeping lately. Well, if I'm honest, we've had trouble with him sleeping since he was born. He was definately NOT a textbook sleeper. None of the timeframes or strategies fitted him, so it was always tons of trial and error and lots of sleepless nights for us.
A few months ago, Alex's trick was waking up, ready for the day to start, at 5am (see earlier posts for my opinion on that!). Recently he has been waking up several times during the night, coming into our room and not leaving until he got to lay in our bed for a while. This usually ended in screaming matches or one of us laying with him in his bed until he went to sleep~ and often us falling asleep there too.
It made me start to doubt the wisdom of getting him out of the cot and into a bed before the age of 2. Megan coped ok, so we assumed he would too. Of course they are very different sleepers, so perhaps we shouldn't have assumed he would setlle the same way.
I was desperate for a solution and was hoping our Maternal Child Health Nurse would have some ideas at Alex's 2yr check up. Sadly our Super-woman nurse was away and we had a fill-in who didn't know much at all :( However, she did ask if he got 12-13 hours of sleep in 24hours, including his daytime sleep, which he did.
But it got me thinking. Since Alex has never fitted into normal sleep routines, maybe he didnt need as much sleep as everyone else his age. His dad can certainly survive on very little sleep, so we tested the theory.
We started keeping him up during his day sleep, and putting up with "Mr Cranky-Pants" until bedtime. Lo-and-behold, he went to sleep very easily (this has been a fight lately, too) and slept all night until about 7am. Heaven!
Hopefully, this new routine will continue and we will be able to catch up on some much needed sleep. I will miss that 1-2 hours of quite time that was usually his naptime, but if it means a full night's sleep, I'll happily trade!
A few months ago, Alex's trick was waking up, ready for the day to start, at 5am (see earlier posts for my opinion on that!). Recently he has been waking up several times during the night, coming into our room and not leaving until he got to lay in our bed for a while. This usually ended in screaming matches or one of us laying with him in his bed until he went to sleep~ and often us falling asleep there too.
It made me start to doubt the wisdom of getting him out of the cot and into a bed before the age of 2. Megan coped ok, so we assumed he would too. Of course they are very different sleepers, so perhaps we shouldn't have assumed he would setlle the same way.
I was desperate for a solution and was hoping our Maternal Child Health Nurse would have some ideas at Alex's 2yr check up. Sadly our Super-woman nurse was away and we had a fill-in who didn't know much at all :( However, she did ask if he got 12-13 hours of sleep in 24hours, including his daytime sleep, which he did.
But it got me thinking. Since Alex has never fitted into normal sleep routines, maybe he didnt need as much sleep as everyone else his age. His dad can certainly survive on very little sleep, so we tested the theory.
We started keeping him up during his day sleep, and putting up with "Mr Cranky-Pants" until bedtime. Lo-and-behold, he went to sleep very easily (this has been a fight lately, too) and slept all night until about 7am. Heaven!
Hopefully, this new routine will continue and we will be able to catch up on some much needed sleep. I will miss that 1-2 hours of quite time that was usually his naptime, but if it means a full night's sleep, I'll happily trade!
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Times have changed...
It's interesting how times have changed. Things we took for granted as kids are no longer common place for this next generation.
Today was hot. The last few weeks have been hot! And we have had some kind of pool on our patio for the kids (and even sometimes Mike and I) to paddle around in. They have had a ball!
But tonight, because of the heat, I went out to water the garden and the kids had so much fun with the hose. I couldn't work out the fascination- until I realised that I rarely water the garden (ours is pretty self-sufficient). So this was a fairly new experience for them. As kids we used to play under the sprinkler all the time, but with water restrictions around for all of Megan's 3.5yrs, fun with running water didn't exist outside of the shower!
They weren't quite happy with being squirted by mum, but having a go at hosing and putting their hands and feet in the pressurised water was great fun! (I was ever conscious that their hosing attempts were somewhat near the plants that needed it!)
Maybe one day there will be a time where playing under the sprinkler wont be wasteful and be back to being a great childhood past time. Until then, it'll be wading pools with 10cms of water and the odd playing with the hose while mum waters the garden!
Today was hot. The last few weeks have been hot! And we have had some kind of pool on our patio for the kids (and even sometimes Mike and I) to paddle around in. They have had a ball!
But tonight, because of the heat, I went out to water the garden and the kids had so much fun with the hose. I couldn't work out the fascination- until I realised that I rarely water the garden (ours is pretty self-sufficient). So this was a fairly new experience for them. As kids we used to play under the sprinkler all the time, but with water restrictions around for all of Megan's 3.5yrs, fun with running water didn't exist outside of the shower!
They weren't quite happy with being squirted by mum, but having a go at hosing and putting their hands and feet in the pressurised water was great fun! (I was ever conscious that their hosing attempts were somewhat near the plants that needed it!)
 |
| No comment about the lack of trigger-hose please! I took it off for the kids to feel the water :) |
Maybe one day there will be a time where playing under the sprinkler wont be wasteful and be back to being a great childhood past time. Until then, it'll be wading pools with 10cms of water and the odd playing with the hose while mum waters the garden!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
