Thursday, May 26, 2005
Mothering Magazine Article: Let The Healing Begin
Mothering Magazine Article: Let The Healing Begin -- Okay, this made me cry it's so loving. I find it difficult to teach boundaries in a loving way when I'm sleep deprived, which is quite often right now. I want my sons to explore and be excited and loving and honest, but I also want them to stop when I ask or tell them to.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Pockets
Last night DH discovered that it is time for us to start checking DS1's pants pockets when we do laundry. At church on Sunday the pastor passed out rocks. Although DS1 insists that they are "stones". Anyway, the two that came home with him are clean now. He's growing up, and I'm excited!
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Transition to Preschool
Yesterday DH and I had a parent-teacher conference with DS1's "Toddler" teacher and the "Preschool" teacher at daycare. Since his birthday is this coming Sunday (turning 3!), he will "transition" next week, spending a little more time each day in the new room. There are 2 or 3 kids in the room that have moved up within the past month, so at least he will have a few friends that he knows.
We were impressed by the classroom and the playground. The room does look more like a "classroom", but that's primarily because the teacher does so many more specific "hands-on" activities. They still get "free play" time, inside and outside. The room has a loft, 2 computers, a book corner, an aquarium, 2 toilet rooms (that used to have doors), and direct access to the HUGE playground. The playground has some bigger equipment for climbing, swings, slides, a house, a sandbox, a trike path, and lots more running around space.
The only down side that I forsee is that the preschool teacher works 9 months a year. She takes mid-May through mid-August off. So DS1 will be with her only 2-3 weeks before she is gone for 3 months. The lead teaching assistant will take over for the summer. She is quite competent, but I wish the main teacher worked a 12 month contract with a week off here and there, instead of the whole summer off. But, since she is the one with the most seniority (been there since the center opened, less a couple of years elsewhere), it's probably the only way to keep her on staff.
We really think DS1 will like his new groups of "big kid" friends and the teachers & class activities. They eat both breakfast and lunch about 30 minutes later than his current class, but that should be okay since they get snacks. Also, naps are 60-90 minutes instead of up to 2 hours. We were warned that he might be exhausted and go to sleep early, especially at first. (Okay with us!)
We were impressed by the classroom and the playground. The room does look more like a "classroom", but that's primarily because the teacher does so many more specific "hands-on" activities. They still get "free play" time, inside and outside. The room has a loft, 2 computers, a book corner, an aquarium, 2 toilet rooms (that used to have doors), and direct access to the HUGE playground. The playground has some bigger equipment for climbing, swings, slides, a house, a sandbox, a trike path, and lots more running around space.
The only down side that I forsee is that the preschool teacher works 9 months a year. She takes mid-May through mid-August off. So DS1 will be with her only 2-3 weeks before she is gone for 3 months. The lead teaching assistant will take over for the summer. She is quite competent, but I wish the main teacher worked a 12 month contract with a week off here and there, instead of the whole summer off. But, since she is the one with the most seniority (been there since the center opened, less a couple of years elsewhere), it's probably the only way to keep her on staff.
We really think DS1 will like his new groups of "big kid" friends and the teachers & class activities. They eat both breakfast and lunch about 30 minutes later than his current class, but that should be okay since they get snacks. Also, naps are 60-90 minutes instead of up to 2 hours. We were warned that he might be exhausted and go to sleep early, especially at first. (Okay with us!)
Monday, April 18, 2005
Toileting
Well, we didn't have to use diapers on the next Monday after my previous post was written. It did take some convincing Friday evening to get him to wear underwear, but he did, and it went fine. He woke up (and woke me up) do go potty during the night. The next night he had an accident. The next time he woke up again.
Then he kept having night accidents, sometimes two a night. A few nights before going on vacation we switched to "pull-ups" at night. We are all sleeping better, he is doing great during the day, and sometimes the pull-up seems dry in the morning.
Then he kept having night accidents, sometimes two a night. A few nights before going on vacation we switched to "pull-ups" at night. We are all sleeping better, he is doing great during the day, and sometimes the pull-up seems dry in the morning.
Friday, March 11, 2005
Toilet time
We are having a hard time with toilet time. At daycare DS1 eagerly wears underwear, goes to the potty on his own, and has few accidents. At home he is very resistant to using the potty or wearing underwear. Except for 2 days (3 times total) he has not gone at home. He asks for diapers instead. So we change him into a diaper, believing that it needs to be his decision. He is obviously physically capable, and mentally there when he wants to be. He has been a lot more clingy than usual the past week, his eczema has flared up, even to the point of me suspecting chicken pox last Sunday because of the spots on his face. His daycare teacher disapproves of us letting him go back and forth, but we won't force him onto the potty and don't want to shame or coerce him into wearing underwear either.
The night before last, during his sleep, he yelled "mommy, I don't want to wear underwear!" He has also been crying and throwing "mini tantrums" over little things. He is fairly easily consoled, usually. One website I like, The Natural Child Project, has an article about The Nature of Dependency in which the author states, "I believe it is normal for people of all ages to hold it together while facing a stressful situation and then to let down and fall apart, if necessary, once they are in a safe environment. For a child, this safe environment is home, mother, or father." I think DS1 is doing this to some degree.
This weekend we are going to try a new approach. The rule will be that he has to wear the same at home and at daycare. (He will come home from daycare in underwear.) If he insists on a diaper (after discussion & several attempts to encourage him to stay in his underwear), then he will get to wear a diaper all weekend, but will also wear diapers all day Monday at daycare. I know he won't like that, but we believe he will decide that it's worth wearing underwear at home, to get to wear underwear at "school" too. Reading this plan in print, I think it seems harsh to "make him" wear a diaper Monday if he asks for "big boy pants", but we also think 1-2 days will be all it takes for him to choose underwear all the time.
It's going to be a tough weekend.
The night before last, during his sleep, he yelled "mommy, I don't want to wear underwear!" He has also been crying and throwing "mini tantrums" over little things. He is fairly easily consoled, usually. One website I like, The Natural Child Project, has an article about The Nature of Dependency in which the author states, "I believe it is normal for people of all ages to hold it together while facing a stressful situation and then to let down and fall apart, if necessary, once they are in a safe environment. For a child, this safe environment is home, mother, or father." I think DS1 is doing this to some degree.
This weekend we are going to try a new approach. The rule will be that he has to wear the same at home and at daycare. (He will come home from daycare in underwear.) If he insists on a diaper (after discussion & several attempts to encourage him to stay in his underwear), then he will get to wear a diaper all weekend, but will also wear diapers all day Monday at daycare. I know he won't like that, but we believe he will decide that it's worth wearing underwear at home, to get to wear underwear at "school" too. Reading this plan in print, I think it seems harsh to "make him" wear a diaper Monday if he asks for "big boy pants", but we also think 1-2 days will be all it takes for him to choose underwear all the time.
It's going to be a tough weekend.
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Underwear!
DS1 is wearing underwear today! He has been since about 9 this morning. The past 2 weeks he was used the toilet both at daycare (many times) and at home (3 times). His teacher suggested "toilet training" begin Monday (3 days ago), but since he was not interested in the toilet at home all weekend we waited. She doesn't recommend pull-ups in most cases, since they feel like diapers to the kids. Also, since we use cloth most of the time anyway, he knows what dry vs. wet feel like.
It was a conscious decision on his part "to be a big boy". I do want to make sure he doesn't feel pressure, especially if he has accidents. I also want to comfort him and let him know that he can be a "big boy" on the potty and still be a "little boy" in other ways. I think he is processing and working on the "big boy" thing a lot. He has asked to get into his little brother's crib several times in the past couple of weeks. I let him a couple of evenings ago. He played with the piano at the end of the crib, then wanted out after a few minutes.
It was a conscious decision on his part "to be a big boy". I do want to make sure he doesn't feel pressure, especially if he has accidents. I also want to comfort him and let him know that he can be a "big boy" on the potty and still be a "little boy" in other ways. I think he is processing and working on the "big boy" thing a lot. He has asked to get into his little brother's crib several times in the past couple of weeks. I let him a couple of evenings ago. He played with the piano at the end of the crib, then wanted out after a few minutes.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Thursday, January 13, 2005
KittyBook!
KittyBook! The Ultimate WAHM Business Directory. Work At Home Mother-Owned Businesses. -- I found an auction site (other than eBay) that specializes in kid things. That led me to this directory of businesses.
Friday, January 07, 2005
Feingold Program Home Page
Feingold Program Home Page -- We don't have serious problems, but sometimes when DS1 is more hyper than usual I wonder about food additives.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Oh Christmas Tree!
Once again, it's been too long between blogs, but I just had to write about how excited DS1 was helping Daddy decorate the Christmas tree that we finally got put up tonight. He hung most of the ornaments himself. We only needed to do a little rearranging because the tree will be inside the playpen again this year. DS2 still puts everything in his mouth and we don't trust him to not try to eat the tree or the ornaments. DS1 tried to climb up on the side of the playpen, though, so this will probably be the last year we use it. If it doesn't seem safe to just put it on the floor next year we'll have to come up with a new plan.
Monday, November 29, 2004
Reading to Baby Brother
It's a good thing that I am keeping this blog for my own enjoyment only and maybe to share with DS in the future. I know I haven't written in a long time. Life with 2 toddlers is quite hectic and it seems that whenever I think of something I want to blog, I'm either nowhere near a computer, or can't take the minute or 2 to login and blog it.
On to the topic of today... last night DS1 read 2 stories to DS2 at bedtime. The last few nights DS1 has been readily climbing up on his bed for bedtime stories. He has been sticking with "Shapes," "Colors," "Words," and "Numbers," which are all lift-the-flap board books with 10 pages each. It was so cute. DS1 was sitting on his bed, with DS2 in Daddy's lap on the floor. DS1 opened the book and read the page, then turned the book around so DS2 could see it, then DS2 lifted the flap. I suspect the way he was holding the book and turning it around is how his daycare teachers read to the kids.
On to the topic of today... last night DS1 read 2 stories to DS2 at bedtime. The last few nights DS1 has been readily climbing up on his bed for bedtime stories. He has been sticking with "Shapes," "Colors," "Words," and "Numbers," which are all lift-the-flap board books with 10 pages each. It was so cute. DS1 was sitting on his bed, with DS2 in Daddy's lap on the floor. DS1 opened the book and read the page, then turned the book around so DS2 could see it, then DS2 lifted the flap. I suspect the way he was holding the book and turning it around is how his daycare teachers read to the kids.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
