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| Hunter made friends with beautiful Baltic Sea |
A had friend C over for play after ballet practice on Saturday and they spent the afternoon doing experiments with her science set.
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
We have found the answer!
Every parent fears that late afternoon hysteria- we seem to have them especially over weekends.Those cabin fever induced fights, niggly crying, fidgeting with everything, tantruming etc. Or often just general tiredness as we seem to have hit a no nap zone, regardless of what we try. Well this weekend we found the very perfect solution - manual labour. Yes, it works like a charm! Our kids have a few chores - making their own beds, tidying their own toys, help with the care of the puppies (feeding, brushing and recently poo collecting with the poop scoop), clearing the table and helping in the garden. Saturday afternoon saw 3 tired and miserable kids. After being called to help in the garden we had 3 smiling happy kids! We repeated the process on Sunday afternoon even before disaster struck. They helped to clean the Weber and the big gas braai and we had happy, tired and dirty kids who enjoyed their swim, dinner and an early evening. It's pretty clear to us that we need to work these guys harder and we will have way less issues!
As to the rest of the weekend :
According to their instructor they made huge progress in only a week horse riding.
The kids love their sticker workbooks I bought at Exclusive Book's sale earlier this year.
So what chores do your kids do and are we the only people to notice the "joy in work" thing?
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You know I love it! I work my kids too but it's right - it's not MY job to keep the house neat and tidy.
ReplyDeleteAnd things still regularly disappear into Toy Jail if I find things lying around!
My B and I had this discussion last night...I have decided that Jadakins can do little things like pack her toys away..and throw things in the dustbin. Love this post
ReplyDeleteWork them til they fall over! ;-)
ReplyDeleteTotally agree Cat. when my kids bicker I know its cos they are either tired or bored....both can be easily remedied.
Love the photos - such happy little people
Glad to hear it's working! :D
ReplyDeleteI will try that as well.
Great photos!
Those horse riding lessons must be awesome? Please write a post about it.
Maybe have a look here: http://juggelingactoflife.blogspot.com/2013/02/just-doing-best-you-can.html#comment-form
DeleteSuch a clever idea!! May have to resort to hard-labour this weekend.
ReplyDeleteLove the horse riding photographs!!
I let the kids have chores around the home. Teaches them valuable lessons
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! I often find that my kinds act up the most when they are bored.
ReplyDeleteMy kids had to lay the table and help with the dishes...then we got a domestic worker that spoiled them rotten and they did nothing.
ReplyDeleteI like the answer you found!!!! Tired kids after hard work should just want to relax not squabble. PERFECT
ReplyDeletePS: Can I book the kids to come help in my house (LOL)
So cool! We LOVE to work around these parts. And after work, it's bath time which is also an AWESOME way to relax and calm Child2.
ReplyDeleteCan't WAIT for my kids to be old enough to do "real" chores like making their mother a cup of tea! lol! Yes, we too believe in the value of letting the kids help out in and around the house. Lovely pics xxx
ReplyDeleteI am just thinking the Princess is old enough to make tea.....
DeleteI totally agree, they definitely need chores. At the moment N helps out with taking out plates for dinner. she has to take her own plate/cup/cutlery to the sink as well after. And if she feel like it she can help me wash (I redo it all again after because it's still a bit of a big splash event and not a big scrub event for her), but I fully intend that that will become part of her chores later on. She "helps" me make the bed, she sorts her own laundry into the baskets between light/dark/underwear and she has to make sure that her toys are not in my way. She helps me water the plants, and vacumm and clean too and when I bring laundry in from the washer she has to put it in the drier and switch it on (I go and tweak it a bit after she's done because she thinks everything needs three hours to dry).
ReplyDeleteI have had mine working for ages (and she only turned 3 last week). She packs away her clothes, puts her laundry in the basket, puts her night time nappy in the bin, helps in the garden and what ever else I can think for her to do. She loves it and the more I give her the more she wants to do - up to a point.
ReplyDeleteI find the trick is though not to expect perfection, and not to correct her. If I need to I will come back later and redo when she is not looking.