Task At Hand

I received a Little Tikes catalog in the mail the other day. My girls love to look through all of the catalogs that we get in the mail. They love the bright and shiny covers. They love to decide who gets what on each page. They love that they get their own 'magazine' every, single day in the mail.

So yesterday, after I got a Little Tikes catalog, I knew Madeleine would be especially excited to look through it because it was filled with fun & colorful toys. I gave her the catalog and a black marker. I suggested that she take this opportunity to circle things she really, really liked, perhaps things that Santa might take note of. She was totally game and got right to work.

This is what she came back with:











She circled nearly everything in the catalog, except the Makin' Mud Pies set she got for her birthday and the Spray & Rescue Fire Truck her sister, Lily, got this summer.

Looking at these pictures, I could think, 'how funny & cute, she loves all the toys in the catalog' or 'how greedy & selfish, she wants every, single thing on every, single page.'

My most recent exposure to the studies of managing behaviors and positive discipline have taught me otherwise. I have learned, that for children of Madeleine's age (4) , the focus is not on the end result, but on the journey or activity to get there. She was more enrapt with the act of circling the pictures of kids enjoying the toys, than imagining herself potentially receiving and subsequently playing with these toys at a later date.

As parents, I think we all naturally feel that our kids are the smartest, brightest, most talented at any & all specific talents, but we are fast to forget that they are still toddlers, still babies. They are sponges and can soak up our vocabularies & mannerisms and repeat them back to us, without fully understanding what they are saying or doing. Personally, I have always responded to my child's vocabulary as a proud parent. We encouraged her first words & cheered on her full sentences We never stopped to think if she totally understood the words & actions she was using and if she knew why she was using them. Hey, as long as they were not swear words, we were happy, right?

Madeleine was simply reveling in the task at hand. When I gave her the marker and catalog I should have said this 'Here, take this marker and show me how good you are at making circles. And, lucky you, you get to make circles around pictures of kids your age having fun on toys you might like to play with. I bet you can fill this whole, entire magazine with great circles. When you are done, let's go outside with Lily, make piles of leaves and mess them up!'

Positive Discipline: Three Days Down...

... and seeing great results!

Little to no screaming and fights over simple tasks and daily activities. This is most definitely a work in progress, as at times I feel like I am playing beat the clock, between reading the book, gathering info & putting it into practice, all at the same time that I need it most.

Positive Discipline

I am about halfway through the book Positive Disciplne by Jane Nelsen, Cheryl Erwin & Roslyn Ann Duffy. So far we have had one and a half scream-free days! Yesterday's adventures included the girls first trip to the dentist, a visit to Barnes & Noble and then a fun trip to Chuck E. Cheese. We were able to go into & out of each location on time and without a fight, even at Chuck E. Cheese!

Slacker!

Damn it, I missed two days, but I swear I have a good reason.

I was attending a two-day training for the Life is good Playmakers Power Play program. I was allowed to 'tag along' to the training, even though I am not technically an early childhood educator.

I met many great teachers from all over New England who are going above & beyond their classroom duties. I was also introduced to some revolutionary ideas regarding positive discipline and behavior management. I've ordered a few books and cannot wait for them to get here!

Hopefully, my experiences with these techniques & ideas will lead to some more significant and interesting posts here. Bear with me.

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

What are your plans for the weekend? I'll be taking part in this:

Family Band

My kids have been all about putting on shows lately. They'll bang on the piano, destroy a guitar and make up songs and dances.

Their latest creation is this:

"We're going to the beach,
Gonna have a fun waycation.
Gonna go swimming,
And eat a lot of bacon."

Sounds like a hit. And a dream vacation.

She's Amazing. Lilybuns, You're Amazing.

Just try and convince me that this is not the sweetest and most adorable thing you have ever seen. For the record, it was totally unscripted and off the cuff. I did not even know that Madeleine knew the word 'amazing' or what it meant.




Why can't I view this video in Safari? Does it show up for anyone else? Is this a legit issue or am I just an imbecile? I can see the video when I use Firefox.

Peek-A-Boo! Look Who's Two!

In less than twenty-four hours, Madeleine will be two. Where has the time gone?

Happy 2nd Birthday, babydoll. I love you.

Things That Have Saved My Life.

I love this thing. I have a fussy second child, but she is so comfortable in this. She will fall asleep within minutes. It has truly been a godsend. When she is in the Moby Wrap, she is close, comfort and contented. I had heard about it from the owner and director of Nini Bambini, Nina Cullen. Nini Bambini is a center for growing bellies and growing families that offers specialized maternity and early childhood experiences, as well as a boutique full of functional, fabulous & unique products. I have, and will continue, to give the Moby Wrap as a baby shower gift.

Sippin' Chicken Soup With Rice

Who else remembers this?

Really Rosie (You can get the soundtrack on iTunes.)


My mom used to rent this video and record from the public library for me. I most specifically remember "Pierre", because he always said "I don't care". I am sure that I said that once or twice during my formative years. Who knew that my mother had all the answers then? I guess that is why I call her with questions now. You will never fully appreciate your parents until you have children of your own. Trust me, they were always right.

Be careful at the park...

Recently, my mother asked me if we ever went to a nearby park.
"All the time," I replied "Almost everyday since the weather has been nice. Madeleine loves the slide."

"Well, you should be careful there." she tells me. "Men meet to have sex there. In the woods."

"Ok, thanks. I just go to the playground park and usually there are many other people there. I never walk in the woods alone." I try to explain.

I continue justifying my behavior as a caring and responsible parent, then stop and think: Why does my mother know exactly where local men meet here to have casual and anonymous sex?

So I ask her.

"I saw it on Craig's List. On Casual Encounters. I like to read them. You would be so surprised to see where these men meet. Watch out, they say they will be wearing rubber bands on their wrists."

Thanks for the warning, Mom.

She also sent me her first email ever, about nine days ago. Then she called and said, "Did you get my email? Pretty cool, huh?"

It's all downhill from here...

I am embarrassed to admit this, but, due to intense peer pressure, my two children and dog now have Facebook pages. If your babies or dogs wand to request the friendship of my babies or dog, just let me know. Mom 2.0.

Lily Piper

This is my second born. I do a weekly picture to document her first year. She is a peanut, but is just starting to come alive. She is smiling and starting to coo and gurgle at me. She is going to be great fun now that I know what I am doing, kind of.

Time for a New Dance

With all the things Sesame Street is teaching kids, numbers, letters, colors, Spanish, reading, do you think is would be possible for them to teach some of those a kids any dance other than the Running Man?