Yearly Archives: 2009

How to Find Time For Yourself

February 24, 2009activities for kids, media, ParentingKirsetin

As a young mom, there were days I was desperate for a little me-time. All right, fine. As an older mom, there are still days I’m desperate for a little me-time.

But as one of those peculiar moms who recoils at the thought of turning on “kids” TV, I didn’t have an easy out. How on earth could I get a shower, cook dinner or take a deep breath without Backyardigans to the rescue?

It took some time, but I eventually figured it out. Kids can entertain themselves. It just takes a little work at the front end. But it is so worth it when you finally get to take that breath. Ahhhh!

For the Littlest Tykes try these…

Hands-on manipulatives go a long way with this group.

* Wooden blocks
* Big fat Legos (Duplos)
* Round ball with the shapes
* Fisher-Price stacking toy

These are just a few my boys really liked. There are tons of things kids can play with—even your Tupperware or Rubbermaid. If they can stack it, fit it together, or bang it loudly, it has a good chance of success.

As they get bigger…

* Brio or Thomas trains
* Lego blocks (still the Duplos – now for building, instead of banging or chewing)
* Books on tape (like magic!)
* Leap Pad – ours worked sporadically, but if you have a good one…
* Inexpensive matchbox cars, lots of them. They can race them, line them up, or just plain old play with ‘em.

When they won’t eat beads anymore…

* Perler Beads! **Can serve double duty as fancy Christmas ornament gifts for Grandma and Grandpa, and everyone else they know**
* Regular Legos
* Books
* Books on tape/CD/iPod
* Kids’ digital camera
* Football cards

Admittedly, you won’t get much of a breath to begin with. Set your expectations low, to start. I began by sitting with my kids while they played with their toys. But (for once) I didn’t participate. For just a few minutes, they managed on their own. After awhile, they got used to figuring things out for themselves, and I eased out of the picture. Now, if you’re thinking I grabbed 30 minutes to myself, you need to re-evaluate, friend. Slow. Start slow. It’s all about your expectations!

In the beginning, the time I got to myself was short – 10 minutes, at best. But if you can grab 10 minutes to start dinner, you’re still ahead of the game. In time, 10 will grow to 20. By the time my kids were 3, they could entertain themselves in their rooms for an hour. An hour! Not only is this arrangement good for you, it’s good for them. Independent play time fosters creativity. Life doesn’t always throw you something new when you’re bored, does it? No, sometimes we have to make our own fun with what we have. That’s a good lesson to learn at any age, wouldn’t you agree?

The Modern Enjoli Woman

February 23, 2009birthday cakesKirsetin

So how have I been spending my time lately?

Well, first there was this:

And then there was this:

Now, do any of you remember this?

Do they even still sell Enjoli?!

So maybe I didn’t bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan, but baby I laid the tile and baked the cake in the same day. That has to count for something!

A Letter to My Neat and Tidy Friend

February 21, 2009friendship, nostalgia, petsKirsetin

Dear Neat and Tidy Friend,

Congratulations! I hear you are considering adopting a puppy. Fantastic idea! Who doesn’t want a cute little bundle of fur take on walks, cuddle with, and love unconditionally?

The unconditional part is important, you see, because this puppy will change your life. You know this already, right? People have told you about the night waking and the many walks, they’ve told you about how you’ll have to re-arrange your schedule and save bundles of money for vet bills. But what about the fur? Have they mentioned the fur? Or, more specifically, the shedding of the fur?

Oh, right, you’re going to keep him outside in a dog run. Good plan. My Aunt Elaine had that plan, too, until her sweet little Gypsy got sick. She came in to get well and never left. Dogs are smart that way. People are the foolish ones. That fancy dog run became a lawn ornament and trellis for beans or raspberries or some such thing. It sure didn’t see Gypsy again.

And when your puppy joins the household, it won’t be long before you sit down to a lovely dinner and find a stray dog hair in your salad. Consider yourself warned. Disgusting, you say! You are cleaner than that. You will sweep and vacuum and mop away the evidence. Yeah, okay, good luck with that.

My favorite part, really, is how dogs can sense who loves them and who would really rather see them penned up on a farm somewhere far, far away. One day, your stylish friend will show up dressed in her sleekest black pants, strutting her trim stuff all over the place. And your super-hairy, hugely-shedding yellow Labrador will be right there to greet her. In a fine example of the skills dogs have honed through the years, he will sense that she doesn’t want a single strand of that nasty dog hair anywhere near her swanky self. He will bound up to her, tongue hanging, tail wagging, hair flying everywhere, just to show her who’s in charge.

Dogs are the smart ones, I’m telling you.

Have fun with your new puppy.

With much love,

From your friend with the extremely friendly, unbelievably hairy 13-year old Labrador

This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network’s blog blast. It’s sponsored this week by SC Johnson, who’s introducing the Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair. And as any dog owner will attest, this is an idea who’s time has come!

SC Johnson to introduce the Pledge™ Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair.