well, i wrote that last post after being with the kids for one 12 hour day. i went back on monday for what turned out to be a 16 hour day with the older child home from school for a 9-day thanksgiving break (is this normal?).
a note to all mothers, dads, and grannies: before this week, what i am about to say was still under the category of hypothesis in my mind. now it is a proven fact. for a babysitter, the older sibling of tiny children is NOT a help. the only possible exception to this rule is if the tiny child is actually an infant. this exception depends on the age and maturity of the older child.
that said, at the end of monday, i really didn't ever want to go back again. tuesday morning, i did some deep prayerful thinking about choosing battles, motivations of defiant three-year-old behavior, etc. tuesday was more successful. today was a little better still. i think i'm learning some things by trial and error - and i have reconciled myself to my reality that sometimes you just have to make sure that no one gets seriously injured and that as little of the house/furniture/electronics as possible gets permanently damaged.
i have some questions for the experienced mothers. i'm supposed to take care of the children day and night for 3 1/2 days next week, and i would like to be armed as much a possible.
1. when do you eat? the only decent meal i've had the last three days has been after 9 p.m., and i have prepared no less than 15 for the tiny piranhas in my charge.
2. how often do you feed your kids and how much? they're always hungry!
3. how many days in a row is it o.k. to let a kid wear the same spiderman costume? should i just wait until it disintegrates so i won't have to look at it anymore?
please comment.
happy thanksgiving everyone!
a few quotes i heard come out of my mouth this week:
"don't hold the kitty by the throat. he doesn't like it."
"i don't like it when you put your fingers in my eye."
"no, no. don't eat the spider."
"what's daddy going to say when he finds out you're spitting on the bird?"
there's more, but i'm tired.
again, happy thanksgiving!
a note to all mothers, dads, and grannies: before this week, what i am about to say was still under the category of hypothesis in my mind. now it is a proven fact. for a babysitter, the older sibling of tiny children is NOT a help. the only possible exception to this rule is if the tiny child is actually an infant. this exception depends on the age and maturity of the older child.
that said, at the end of monday, i really didn't ever want to go back again. tuesday morning, i did some deep prayerful thinking about choosing battles, motivations of defiant three-year-old behavior, etc. tuesday was more successful. today was a little better still. i think i'm learning some things by trial and error - and i have reconciled myself to my reality that sometimes you just have to make sure that no one gets seriously injured and that as little of the house/furniture/electronics as possible gets permanently damaged.
i have some questions for the experienced mothers. i'm supposed to take care of the children day and night for 3 1/2 days next week, and i would like to be armed as much a possible.
1. when do you eat? the only decent meal i've had the last three days has been after 9 p.m., and i have prepared no less than 15 for the tiny piranhas in my charge.
2. how often do you feed your kids and how much? they're always hungry!
3. how many days in a row is it o.k. to let a kid wear the same spiderman costume? should i just wait until it disintegrates so i won't have to look at it anymore?
please comment.
happy thanksgiving everyone!
a few quotes i heard come out of my mouth this week:
"don't hold the kitty by the throat. he doesn't like it."
"i don't like it when you put your fingers in my eye."
"no, no. don't eat the spider."
"what's daddy going to say when he finds out you're spitting on the bird?"
there's more, but i'm tired.
again, happy thanksgiving!
I'm sorry about all that ~ i feel your pain ~
ReplyDeletei think its the effects of sin and absent parenting ~ why 3 1/2 whole days????
They need boundries and discipline if u can figure out how to set that up and most importantly FOLLOW THROUGH ~ set consequences that you can enforce and do it ~ however i can see that backfiring on you like you sitting on one of them while the other is eating the spider and choking the cat ~ ugh!!
I will be praying for you and these kids ~ they need you and Christ can and does make you able to impact them ~ be strong and courageous!!!
Let me know if i can help any more!! i'm here for you!!
i love you!!
i'm staying with them for 3 1/2 days because their dad's work has something to do with oil rigs, and he's supposed to go offshore next week.
ReplyDeletei would love to find some more books with lots of repetition. they LOVE the Five Ugly Monsters book. we do it over and over and over and over and over and...
also, since the twins are still wearing diapers but really don't need to, i'm thinking i'll as the dad to buy them underwear before he leaves on sunday. i think maybe we can mostly conquer the potty situation by the time he gets back.
may as well take advantage of the opportunity.
he's looking for a live-in nanny, so if anyone who reads this feels the calling or knows someone who might be feeling the calling, just let me know. i'll set up an interview. =)
"...i have reconciled myself to my reality that sometimes you just have to make sure that no one gets seriously injured and that as little of the house/furniture/electronics as possible gets permanently damaged."
ReplyDeletehehehe!! I am laughing laughing LAUGHING -- not AT you, but WITH you! You're doing great! And when it gets too hard, just remember -- they WILL be going home soon!
...and to offer my 2 cents, since you're asking...
ReplyDelete1. when do you eat? the only decent meal i've had the last three days has been after 9 p.m., and i have prepared no less than 15for the tiny piranhas in my charge.
You've only been at this for a few days. As you get used to each other,you will notice that while each day has its own rythym,it tends to follow a general routine. You can help this along by setting up a FLEXIBLE routine. Set general times for each meal and snack. This will (mostly) keep you from fixing food all day long. If they don't eat what/when you feed them, leave it out and they can graze as needed (as long as it won't spoil). I do this with breakfast and it holds them over till lunch. Eat when they eat in one of 2 ways -- graze while you are making their food or fix your plate first so that it's ready and you can sit down WITH them at meals.
2. how often do you feed your kids and how much? they're always hungry!
ReplyDeleteWe (generally) have breakfast, lunch and dinner, with 2-3 snacks in between (between breakfast/lunch, lunch/dinner and sometimes before bed). If my guys don't finish a meal/eat well, thats their snack.
I've read that some folks are so ahead of the game that they keep RTE fruits & veggies cut up in the fridge, so the kids can just get it whenever. I'm not that organized yet. Mine just get out the whole apple/banana, etc.
3. how many days in a row is it o.k. to let a kid wear the same spiderman costume? should i just wait until it disintegrates so i won't have to look at it anymore?
ReplyDeleteyep thats what we do. =)
and finally, sistren, remember that these are only suggestions - do what works for you. What works for some folks, may not for others. And, as with anything, approach with lots of humor and lots of prayer for direction (i'm still working on those!) God can give you some really cool-on-the-spot things.
ReplyDeleteSo that's my 2 cents. Gotta go feed the piranas their mid afternoon snack before they start breaking down. love ya! =)