Keeping Children Busy~priddymomma

My kids are always busy.  If they can’t find something to do, I will find that something for them or die trying.  Bored kids pound each other, I’ve discovered.  If you’re like me and can’t afford the constant ER trips, you’ll love this list!  (Calm down.  They don’t REALLY hospitalize each other.  Yeesh.)

Exercise-My number one recommendation is to get some exercise in that kid!  Kids need to run around.  They have a lot of energy to burn and sitting still is boring.  Make it a family affair and everybody wins.  Take a walk, throw a Frisbee, or build a snowman together.  My family hikes at a local park three days a week.  We all get exercise, and the outdoors really recharges us.  The kids sleep great at night too!  My kids also enjoy yoga and dancing to The Wiggles.  (So do I!  shh!)

Get messy-Most* kids love to get messy.  Play in the dirt, mud, sand, or snow.  Get to finger painting.  Use clay, glitter, markers, chalk.  Anything dirty, dusty, messy, or wet is fair game.  Wash the car afterwards or play in the sprinkler to make clean up easier.

(*Cheerio Champ does not like to get messy.  Princess Cheerio loves to get messy.  She then thinks it is funny to try to get Cheerio Champ messy.)

Give them a job-Kids love to help.  Cheerio Champ is patient at the store when he gets to help his daddy with the shopping list.  Princess Cheerio is super proud of herself when she puts a book back on the shelf when told to do so.

How old?-Age should be taken into consideration when trying to find a way to keep your child busy.  Princess Cheerio, for instance, is 16 months old.  She loves to put and take.  Give her a small box and a few old Christmas cards and she is set for twenty minutes.  Cheerio Champ (5 years), however, would much rather put together a 100 piece puzzle or play with his LeapPad 2.  And I’m guessing when she’s a teenager, my friend’s 15 month old daughter won’t be as easily amused by a partially filled water bottle as she was on the car ride the other evening.  You get the picture.

Read-Read to your kids as much as you can.  It helps encourage a love of reading, and it builds vocabulary.  Cuddling is also a bonus.

Tell them a story, teach them something, or both-Kids are intellectual sponges, and they think you are awesome.  Use that to your advantage.  Tell them a story about when you were a kid.  Teach them about ants (hopefully not the magnifying glass part, creep).  Make up a story to teach them an important moral about a situation they are having an issue with (There once was a girl named Susie.  She refused to clean up her room…).

Try an experiment-Kids are so curious.  They always want to know why something happens.  Blow bubbles in the winter and watch them shatter, or make your own bubble solution!  Add colored vinegar to baking soda with a medicine dropper (total win with Cheerio Champ). 

TV or video games-This is an obvious one, but keep in mind that they can still learn something!  There are amazing programs and movies out there geared towards kids of all ages, and video games have come a long way.  They can get active, learn something, or do both things at once.  And you can finally wash those dishes.

If all else fails, consult pinterest.  They have boatloads of ideas.  Good luck with the little monsters!  See ya next week!  XD

***Note:  This post has centered around keeping kids busy so they don’t drive you insane, but I want to take a minute to point out that there is a benefit to down time too.  You don’t want to over-schedule your kid with school, sports, play dates, piano lessons, etc.  They will get burnt out and emotional.  Think about how you feel if you don’t have a moment to kick up your feet.  Kids need the down time to let their imaginations run free and sit quietly for a while.  I strongly believe that as soon as a kid outgrows his or her nap, it should be replaced with a quiet time.  Cheerio Champ has a quiet time that lines up with Princess Cheerio’s nap time.  That works great for her.  It’s quiet while she naps.  It works great for him, because he’s not missing out on anything.  And it works out for me, because I get to recharge, exercise, get chores done, and shower.  (Yes.  I do squeeze all of that in most days.  Don’t you?)  You can encourage your wee one to do a puzzle, draw, or read books during the quiet period.  I like to keep Cheerio Champ in his room.  Other than while he sleeps, it’s the only time he bothers to use it.***

Working Out ~ Tori

As a busy mom it can be incredibly hard to find time to work out. When there is a bit of time in my day I can think of so many other ways to fill that time. Quiet reading time, cleaning (as a mom to two young boys something ALWAYS needs cleaning), etc. The list goes on and on.

But the fact of the matter is that we all need to work out. What method we use to work out will vary, but keeping healthy is the main goal we all have in common.

Sometimes it's best to just quit over thinking and make some extra time in our day for working out. A little time each day will help us in so many ways.

Working out makes you feel better, helps you live longer, and (believe it or not) makes you have more energy.

And if you don't have time for a complex work out routine there are many simple ways to sneak in a few methods to help you. Maybe take the stairs instead of the elevator. 

Have a day planned at the park with the kiddos? Walk there instead of driving. Or walk to a place close to you that you usually drive to. No sense in wasting money on gas when you could enjoy the day and take a nice walk.

Set your clock a bit early in the morning (even 15-30 mins) to get in an early morning work out. Do some squats, jumping jacks, yoga, etc. Do zumba once a week. There are so many ways you can make working out a part of your daily routine without infringing on anything else. And although it may seem a task at first you will very soon notice some small differences in your days. Increase in energy, better mood, you will find yourself sleeping better at night, you'll find an extra little spark in your sex life, and you'll notice over time weight loss.

I for one like to get up a bit early. There's a window (albeit a small one) where everyone in my house is asleep and I can wake up without dragging my feet around. It's about thirty minutes and I use this time to get some workouts in. The house is silent, I have a space to myself, and I get at it. It's nice to have a bit of quiet time to myself and know that I'm bettering myself (even if a little bit) by getting my workout in. And even though I often find some of my muscles sore I notice a significant difference throughout my daily routine. I tend to be happier, have more energy, and feel more accomplished. 

Just remember that if your working out to maintain weight eating healthy also goes hand in hand with that. Not saying cut out everything delicious in your life. Life is short and we must live it. But here and there we can make better choices. 

By working out you will feel better about yourself, you'll feel more sexy, more confident. We can all use some of that right?

It's a great stress burner and it will calm you through some of those tough moments sure to pop up through your normal mom day.

Bottom line is exercise can be fun, and it can definitely make you feel better.

The best advice as one mom to another that I can give you is just don't put to high of expectations on working out. Often we set ourselves for too high of goals that we find difficult to reach. Everyone is different and we all work at our own pace. No body is the same. Just have fun with working out and be a friend to yourself rather than an enemy. 

If you have worked out all week long and there's no difference than the previous week don't be down on yourself. At least you haven't gained! And most importantly at least your keeping active and having fun.

Nobody is perfect and as long as your on the path to bettering yourself, you are on the right path. Have patience with working out and have patience with yourself. Don't expect the same results that someone else may gain from working out because you are not them. And most importantly, I can't say this enough, have fun!

Day in the Life - Leslie

Unfortunately I wasn't able to take as many pictures of my day as I'd hoped.  Sorry for the lack of visual aid, but here you go!  A typical day for me.

4:50am - Wake up, potty, shower and brush teeth.  So.  Tired.

5:10am - Get dressed.

5:20am - Brush hair and then put together breakfast to eat at work.

5:35am - Watch the news while I fill my purse with stuff.  I have a big purse, so usually I put whatever I'm having for breakfast in a plastic grocery bag and stick it in the purse.  Wallet, breakfast, book, ID lanyard, various other things.  Check.  Also have to make sure I grab my bottle of water.

5:55am - Leave for work.  So dark out.  Still tired.

6:15am - Arrive at work.  Clock in.  Sit in the driver's room trying to stay awake until time to go out on our route.

6:35am - 7:15am - High school morning route.  Everybody is tired and quiet, except for the love birds.

7:30am - 8:00am - Back at the bus garage for our layover.  Usually I just eat breakfast (hard boiled egg, feta, tomatos, and carrots) and read.  Or talk to Jer.

8:00am - 9:00am - Elementary/preschool morning route.  Quiet ride.

9:10am - Clock out.  Time to go home!  Can't wait to see A.

9:25am - Home.  Tackled by A.  Love it.

9:25am - 11:30am - Playtime with A.  Usually we read books, watch shows, or play with her stuffed animals together.  We also like to sit together on the bed while she reads her books and I read mine.  Also, tickle time!

11:30am - Lunch time.  Homemade tomato soup.  Yum.

12:15pm - Nap time for A.  She wasn't happy about it, but she needed the sleep.

1:30pm - Head back to work.

1:55pm - Arrive at work.  Clock in.  Sit and wait to leave.

2:10pm - 3:00pm - High school afternoon route.  The kids had a good day and are in high spirits.

3:00pm - 3:15pm - Short layover.  Usually just park and wait.

3:20pm - Time to pick up the preschoolers.  They are pretty rowdy.

3:30pm - Pick up elementary.  Today should be keep-your-hands-to-yourself day.

4:20pm - Last drop off.  Head back to the garage to clock out.  So ready to go back home.

4:45pm - Get home.  Sit with A.  Read for a bit or clean.  Make dinner.

6:00pm - Dinner.  Bruschetta with tomatos and feta.  Yum!

7:00pm - 8:00pm - Quiet time with Addie.
 
8:00pm - 9:00pm - Wash face, brush teeth, brush A teeth, get a drink of water.

9:00pm - Lay down with A and a book.  Read to her and then she lays with me and falls asleep while I read my book.

10pm - Sleep.  Usually.  :|

Cleaning...Schedule?~priddymomma

WOW has this been a busy couple of weeks!  I’m typing this much later than I usually would get to it, because MY KIDS ARE GROWING UP!!!  Princess Cheerio just turned one this week!  ONE!  And Cheerio Champ turned five last week!  We’re planning a big party this weekend, we had family pictures taken yesterday, we hosted an Easter brunch at our place last weekend, there was a lot of spring cleaning, and etcetera!  Thus, last minute post.  I’m doing good to have remembered to post at all…

Cleaning!  I’m not sure I know what that even is!  I feel like my house has been in desperate need of a cleaning since I was pregnant with my first.  I found out the hard way that my husband has way looser standards of what “clean” is than I.  (Rinsing out a bowl to use a second time a day later is NOT clean, man!  What is WRONG with you??!)  He works full time, so he doesn’t have the “time” to spend on chores that I “do”.  (“apparently”  I feel like “using”  “quotations” all the “”time””?)”  He cleans when he’s feeling charitable, so I try to keep him happy.  (Is that so wrong?!) 

My house is in a state of flux at all times.  Its clutter and cleanliness are directly reflective of my inner state of mind at any given time.  If the front of the house looks great, I’m putting on a face for the world, but you can bet the bedroom is full of things to sort through and organize.  Hey!  I just sorted through some inner demons!  Time to tackle that closet!

I try to keep up with the day to day things and at least not make a bigger mess of things, though I’m finding that harder and harder the more mobile Princess Cheerio gets.  She likes to pull all the books off the bookshelves and eat them.  Literally EAT them, like a literal adorable bookworm.  I’m not sure that is the healthiest thing on the planet, so I try to discourage that if at all possible.  But, I digress.  Cleaning up after the kids 1,048,209,034,403 times a day is not helping me catch-up on backlogged chores.  Also, homeschooling and exercise dips into that time drastically, and errands, not to mention actually spending time with my family!

I read a tip once that helps.  Let’s say you are in your living room, but you need to get your kiddo a cup of water.  On your way to the kitchen, you can grab a cup someone left on the coffee table and rinse it out as you get your kid his juice.  When you head back to the living room, you have the juice, but you can also take that magazine that came in the mail to the coffee table.  See where I’m going with this?  It works, but I have one issue:  I easily get sidetracked and find myself leaving jobs half-finished or starting a project that is just not very high on the priority list.  (Yeah!  What a great time to scrub the faucet!  My face sure looks funny like that!)  Two hours of cleaning = zero complete projects.  “Hi honey!  What did you do today?”  “…I don’t know…”

Don’t believe all the tips though.  I read a tip that suggested not procrastinating anything that takes less than 30 seconds to complete.  That sounds reasonable and is all good and fine if it’s a toilet paper roll on a holder, but 30 seconds is an eternity in tot time.  Tot time, by the way, is the term for the amount of time that passes when you are not actively watching your child.  (Yes.  Coined by me.  I’m allowed to do that.  I’m a blogger.  Please don’t try this at home….unless you’re a blogger.)  You know the feeling.  “Kids are playing nicely.  Awesome!  Time to pee!”  *sits down*  CRASH!  *gasp*  “WHAT WAS THAT??!”  THAT was a tot second.  30 seconds five times in a row lands you some dead kids.  That’s all I’m saying. 

In a perfect world, I have assigned each family member (who is old enough) chores per day, leaving chores on their chore towers when they haven’t been finished.  We flip them when they are completed.  Here’s the schedule:

Sunday:

• Hubby-take out trash, wash dishes with wifey (no.  He doesn’t call me this, thankfully), dust mop floors (we have hardwoods), bathroom surfaces (main bathroom)
• Myself-bathroom surfaces (master bath), wash laundry, wash dishes with hubby, sweep and mop bedrooms and hall, wash towels
• Cheerio Champ-make bed, clean room, help sort laundry

Monday:

• Hubby-clean toilet (main bathroom)
• Myself-clean toilet (master bathroom), wash laundry, wash dishes, dust mop
• Cheerio Champ-make bed, help sort laundry

Tuesday:

• Hubby-take out trash, clean bathtub and shower (main bathroom), wash dishes, clean out van
• Myself-clean shower (master bathroom), wash laundry, dust mop
• Cheerio Champ-make bed, help sort laundry

Wednesday:

• Hubby-day off
• Myself-wash towels, wash laundry, wash dishes, dust mop
• Cheerio Champ-make bed, help sort laundry

Thursday:

• Hubby-take out trash, wash dishes, mow lawn (though not in the winter, obviously)
• Myself-take out recyclables, wash laundry, dust mop, wash Princess Cheerios’ bedding
• Cheerio Champ-dust, make bed, help sort laundry

Friday:

• Hubby-take trash cans to curb, sweep and mop dining room
• Myself-wash Cheerio Champ’s bedding, wash laundry, wash dishes, dust mop
• Cheerio Champ-take sheets off bed, help sort laundry

Saturday:

·         Hubby-wash dishes, sweep and mop kitchen, laundry room, living room

·         Myself-wash laundry, wash my bedding, dust mop

We have monthly chores on a checklist that we try and usually fail to keep up with.  I remake the list each month.  Trees hate me like that.

Like I said:  that’s the run down in a perfect world.  Usually, I run out of time in my day or collapse in utter exhaustion before it gets completely finished.  Or throw a tantrum.  That happens occasionally.  Okay, frequently.  FINE!  Every afternoon.  Get off me!  If something disgusts me enough, or if I know company is coming, I clean.  This is why cleaning businesses do so well.  I would be putting people out of their jobs if I cleaned!  They have mouths to feed!  I guess that implies that I’d hire them.  I’m too embarrassed to invite them inside!  My house is a mess…

How do you do it all, moms?  What about you, dads?  Any advice?  Stories from the trenches?  Cleaning company recommendations?  Leslie will have her say on Saturday, and we will have a fine new topic in the week following.  Good night! Zzz