Simply Mother

Are always those that start with me managing to get out of bed early. Early meaning at least 7, but I’d like to get to where I consistently manage 6:30.

Somehow my getting dressed and ready for the day, and possibly even having time for sitting on the couch with some hot chocolate and my scriptures before the kids get up is really, really good for everybody.

The girls eventually come in, somewhere between 7 and 7:30 usually; we have some breakfast, and then cuddle a bit on the couch as I read scriptures aloud. Sometimes they dance or get involved in their own things during this time.

Eventually we make our way to our bathroom/bedrooms for dressing, grooming, and bed-making. There’s no particular order or schedule for this, it just kind of flows. I try not to nag, which, for my kids (and husband!) means saying anything more than once.

Or maybe at all, depending. My 5-year-old doesn’t like to be reminded about many things; I think she feels like she should be old enough to do them on her own. However, she has felt this way since she was approximately 3 days old, so yeah, it can be a bit challenging to know what to let go, when.

What seems to work best is if I just do things myself–like brush my own teeth and don’t say anything to her about it at all. (And no big show about it either. SayingI’m going to brush my teeth now so I don’t have yucky bugs on them, ick!” is about as sure fire way as ever to get her NOT to want to do it that day. Is that weird?) She does know, and she does want to do them–I think she just wants to feel like she’s doing them because she wants to do them, and not because she’s succumbing to pressure from anyone.

Pressure. It’s a big thing for her and she is soooo sensitive to it.  Luckily, we’re mostly past the toddler/preschool stage where she would just flatly refuse to do things if she felt that kind of pressure–but she does get visibly irritated if I do it, so I try not to. And with her at least, I’ve really found that the more I treat her like she’s a mature enough person to remember little details like that (or at least to do them herself if she has the teeniest shell of a reminder, such as seeing a toothbrush, or me going in to do my own), the more she acts on it.

Anyway, the day just kind of moves on from there. If things are going well (especially if I woke up early, and if we all went to bed at a decent time the night before–for the girls, they need the lights off by 9, for me, 12), their play will naturally flow and evolve for the next few hours and it’s so lovely to watch.

Earlier I found them both sitting in little homemade forts on the couch, reading quietly to themselves. Later they danced to the Christmas music we have playing, and Sarah got out the camera and recorded Jade dancing and hopping around.

Sometimes it involves paper and coloring/writing, or crafting/sewing projects. I still don’t have any shelves to set up all the stuff I have (and want to get) like puzzles, blocks, math manipulatives like cuisenaire rods, and paints and art materials, but someday those materials will be a little more accessible.

Right now I’m watching them play in the backyard. It started with a pitcher of water and some cups to water the [dead] plants, but it looks like it’s moved on to a much more complex game than that, complete with characters (I was just informed that I’m the “station master” and was asked to refill the pitcher.)

Soon, I’ll bring Jade in and snuggle her up in my bed for a couple stories and then she’ll take a nap (which she does by herself now! Hooray!) (Sarah never did that. She quit taking naps before she was ready to go to sleep without me. Sweet Jade still desperately needs a nap. She is heaven with one, and a sad, sad little puddle of tears in the evenings without one.)

As a matter of fact, I think it’s time now; Jade just came in saying she’s cold so I won’t even have to interrupt their game. After she goes down, Sarah and I always read from one of her chapter books for awhile. So now I’ll stop blogging about my life and go live it!

It’s good, it’s really good! (Guess who got up early today.)

Filed in: family • parenting • self-reflection | December 18, 2008