I have posted this question to some of my groups, but wanted to post it here as well. I often struggle with this.
First, How do you meet the needs of 2 or more children when they want different and often conflicting things? For example, today dd (4) wanted me to sit and watch a movie with her. DD (7) wanted me to make her some lunch. I did end up doing both, but narrowly avoided a meltdown by dd (4) because her attention was mainly with the movie. The meltdown came a few minutes later when I brought the girls lunch. Apparently dd (4) didn't want mac and cheese. In fact, she wasn't hungry. She was thirsty. I had brought her water, but she wanted sprite. I felt that I handled that decently though. I just turned around, went back to the kitchen, put the mac & cheese on the counter and got the sprite. I do think that I could have done it with more love though.
3 comments:
I'm not much help, except to say maybe I have the same concern. My kids are 6,4, and 1, and it's really hard to sit with the older two and do what they want with a toddler running around getting into it.
We were just doing some fuse beads now while he was napping.
The six year old wants to dictate a story to me, the four year old wants me to read a book to her while she sits in my lap, the toddler needs a diaper change ... ack! I don't know what the answer is!
My kids are all "big" lol; 19, 18, 15, and 11. I homeschooled when the girls were 8-10 and matt was just an infant. Looking back; I don't even know how I did it!
What I am trying to say is: You will be fine. They will be fine. You love your kids and they love you and you are a family... tears, whines, laughs and giggles... it's all part of the mystery.
My 19 year old (who will be 20 in 3weeks! Ack!) calls regularly to tell me that she loves us and misses us. She misses the noise, the chaos and mess that a family creates. With all of the mess comes the love.
You are at the beginning of an amazing journey. I am sure you know this... I look back and feel the warmth of the past blend with my hopes for the future and I am glad.
Blessed Be
Hi Amanda! I find this an opportune time to talk about patience. Everybody can't get what they want all the time, lots of times we have to wait (even for just a minute!) before the things we want and need can come to us. It takes patience on our part to explain all of this, but a 4yo can definitely understand the concept of "Just a minute! I'm helping your sister, I'll be there soon!". It's the following through that's important, so they know we mean what we say and say what we mean. Good luck with this, remember, just when we get them all figured out, BAM! They change! LOL :)
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