Do Yourself a Favor

Don't bother going to see this one with your kids.  We saw the movie last night.  I won't subject you to the oration my family had to listen to about all of the reasons why.  If you insist on seeing it, wait until it comes out in the Redbox.

More Love and Logic

Another jewel from my studying this week:

Parents of young children should allow them to make mistakes and learn from them.  Every mistake is an opportunity to learn.  The price tag of learning from mistakes made by a three year old, is much lower than the price tag of learning paid by a 20 year old.  

Comment of the Day

Today we were walking through Lowe's.  Logan saw a huge blow up statue of Santa and Mrs. Claus.  He became very excited and said, "Look, there is Noah and his sister!"

Runner up comment of the day:

"Mom, my nose smells runny."

Love and Logic by Jim Faye

Have you read this book before?  The version for teachers was one of my favorites when I was in the classroom.  I'm now reading the early childhood book as a mom.  The principles taught are so helpful.  My reading came just in time for some of the "negotiations" (i.e. tantrums) Logan likes to put forth.

Here are a few principles from this week's reading:

1.  Even though children don't act like they want boundaries and limits, they do.  Boundaries and limits make children feel safe.

2.  Give children lots of choices about little things that you don't care about.  When they are sharing in the decision making on the little things, it helps them be willing to comply on the big things.  Below are a few of the choices Logan has been making.  I have been giving him dozens of choices each day.  Even though if feels silly to me, he loves it.

-Would you like to read one story before bed, or two?

-Would you like to wear your basketball shirt or your dinosaur shirt?

-Do you want to get out of the bath right now, or in 5 minutes?

-Do you want to eat apples or cantaloupe  with your lunch?

3.  Show empathy.  When they make a bad choice and get a consequence, let them know that it is a sad thing.  No need to get angry (sometimes very difficult).  Each time I have administered a consequence this week I give him a hug and say, "This is so sad."  The authors suggest using the same phrase each time a consequence is administered.

4.  Let consequences teach, not words.  If they are making a mess with their food, take the food.  If they hit someone with a toy, take the toy.  If they are climbing up the stairs when they have been asked not to, move them to a place where they can't go up the stairs.  Consequences are more effective than reminders, scolding, and lectures.

More to come...

Calming

We head up to the mountains to find water when we can.  There is something peaceful about sitting by a river.

Summertime at Our House

Every morning when Logan wakes up he says, "Is it summertime?" He has summertime and morning mixed up.

We have loved this summer. I'll be sad when autumn comes and I'll have to explain that it is no longer summertime every morning when he wakes up.

Peeking through the corn stalks

Loving the apple tree

Eating corn on the cob for breakfast

Playing in the ditch out back

Homemade Granola Recipe

5 C rolled oats
½ wheat germ
½ cup sesame seeds (could substitute sunflower seeds or flax seeds)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional… I like almonds)
1 cup shredded coconut (please don’t offend me by leaving this out, it is the best part… however, you could use chopped apples, dates, raisins, or some other granolaish thing, if you must)
1 tsp coconut extract (not necessary, but extra yummy… maple extract is also tasty)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup oil
½ cup melted butter or margarine (you could use all oil if you are trying to be healthy… I like the butter though)
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup honey

Mix all ingredients together. Spread evenly onto a greased cookie sheet (or several cookie sheets). Place on center racks of your oven. Cook overnight at 170 degrees. Crumble into airtight containers. Sometimes I mix the granola with Cheerios or grape nuts to make it go farther.

Enjoy!

When We Picked this Cabbage,

Logan cried. These basketball sized vegetables have become his favorite plants in the garden. He begged me not to kill it. I had to explain that we grew the cabbages so we could eat them. I told him I would take his picture, and he could help me make a salad that we could share with our neighbors.

He felt better.

This Weekend I Was Out With These Hot Ladies

...at the Shakespearean Festival. Please go see Secret Garden if you get the chance. We also loved Comedy of Errors and As You Like It. Some weekends you need to go out with the girls and laugh until you pee your pants.

Lessons From the Garden

It is a tough time to raise kids.  I worry about Logan falling into the traps of entitlement and laziness.  I worry that he will be disrespectful.  I am working hard to combat these vices that have unfortunately become the socially acceptable norm.  Even though he is little, I believe that now is the time to really begin teaching him to be respectful, hard-working, and grateful.  

This summer he and I have worked hard growing a beautiful garden.  It has taken us out of stores, away from the screen, and away from the battles being inside brings.  After months of tilling, weeding, watering, mulching, thinning, and transplanting, we are finally picking.  If anyone comes to visit, Logan wants to take them out to see our garden to show them the vegetables he has grown.  Even though I could have completed the necessary tasks much more quickly if I had done them alone while he played, I'm glad I let him help.  He pushed most of the seeds in the ground himself.  He spread the mulch.  He even knows how to tell the difference between the weeds and the plants.  I hope that learning the Law of the Harvest while he is young helps him do more than just plant gardens one day.