(no subject)

[pantryslut]

I am in a stage where I am envious of parents of singletons. This might have something to do with the fact that the kids figured out how to climb over the gate that keeps them from the TV and the CDs and the fireplace. My girls love CDs (and DVDs) -- so shiny, so forbidden. I am reconfiguring the gate this afternoon.

I am envious because if I had only one kid to watch at a time, I would be a lot more mobile. In theory, at least. I try to keep that caveat at the forefront of my mind. We could certainly go for more short walks. It would also be easier to organize time-consuming events and art projects. To experiment with messy stuff, like fingerpainting or cooking. To read a book to one child without the other one trying to grab it away. We're in a big "mine!" phase now, too, and while overall my girls are good for their age on sharing and taking turns, they're also sisters and go straight to screaming and hitting (yes, hitting, and occasional hair-pulling too) faster with each other than anyone else.

And some of it is the season, and the weather. It's cold. It rains. It gets dark early. The bus is unreliable. Let's stay in and go a little cabin crazy.

And all of this will change soon enough, as they get older. I know it.

Meanwhile, I am trying to figure out activities to keep them from boredom, but that aren't too messy, too difficult, or too hard to implement. No wonder my kids love dress-up...

At least we seem to have worked through the naptime issues we were having for a few weeks here. Now one goes to sleep in the crib and one beds down on the living room couch (yay new couch!) or, yesterday, in a nest full of pillows and blankets in the playpen. It helps my sanity and energy so much to have even such a small break.

Comments

[nitouche.livejournal.com]

Simon's had playdates here two days running (while Peter's at a conference in Oregon -- maybe masochism isn't just my dissertation topic...) and I've been wondering how people with two same-aged children manage without copious intake of alcohol!

[jeliza]

I promise, there is an eventual payoff coming in a time when they will happily play with each other rather than demand to play with you. At least that's how it worked with mine, even with the 2 year spacing.

[missionista.livejournal.com]

Would it help to have a playdate? I'm thinking, 3 kids, 2 adults, could make things better for a little while.

And for the times when you are on your own with them, and thinking of taking them for walks, what do you think of those kid-leashes? It would prevent them running away while walking to the playground, etc.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think playdates would be a very good idea.

We've had interesting discussions of kid-leashes in this space before :) I used them when they were younger to good effect. Now that they're older and more mobile it still splits my attention in hard-to-manage ways. If we have a goal in mind other than a general stroll, it's easier to just pack 'em in the stroller and go; they enjoy the stroller as long as we're moving at a decent clip.

[mattblakk.livejournal.com]

I know my parenting experiences are far from typical, but from the 11 year old zone, I can tell you that you're in (what was for me) the worst of it and it gets sooo much easier. Whatever it takes to get through. Friday Evening Adult Beverages?

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

If Adult Beverage = tea :)

It's reassuring to know that this could be the worst of it.

[mattblakk.livejournal.com]

I can't speak for adolescence (yet), but 11 is about a zillion times easier than 2-5 in Blake world.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

Fingerpaint naked, in the bathtub?

I am a big fan of putting the doorknob covers on the inside of spaces where I want to keep the kids in. (Only M, at nearly 3.5, is capable of this right now, but...)

I try to stagger naptime now, so that M can do bigger child activities while A is asleep, and vice versa. (It's marvelous on the days where it works. Other days, it's hell because M doesn't want to let A sleep.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

G. will cringe when he sees the bathtub suggestion, but, hm. Hm...

[trinker.livejournal.com]

I think there are bathtub-friendly crayons and paints available, to be non-staining to porcelain and vinyl.

I'm also looking into getting a large tarp and laying a sheet or a water-resistant tablecloth on top of it (or maybe just a vinyl tablecloth?) for the carpet, and doing sand or cornmeal play (and also playdough play) on top of that. A is still very oral-explore-y though. So no sand or cornmeal yet, except at playgroup where they're normally separated. (M and A both grab toys from each other; I'm trying to reinforce, "you have to offer something in exchange, AND ACCEPT A NO. NO MEANS NO.")

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

Yes, we're going through "You have to ask, and you can ask to trade, and sometimes she'll say no and that's OK. And it's OK to be frustrated but find a better way to express it."

[marialuminous.livejournal.com]

Another friend of mine, also a parent, was a big fan of soap paint for her toddler. It's colorful, fun, and made of soap, so the kids end up cleaner!

[trinker.livejournal.com]

I don't use soap on M & A unless they're coated in something oily that needs to come off...but now that M has decided that playing in the tub by pouring water from one container to another is marvelous fun, it's much easier to keep him clean. (A used to be a water baby, and then went through a screaming phase, so it was all quick wipeoffs sinkside. She's back to being curious about water...we'll see how that goes.)

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

Just sayin' that I think it's reasonable to be not only envious but outright jealous of parents of singletons. While your two are amazingly rewarding, the word "easy" simply does not come to mind ...