Note to self: check pockets before washing all your favorite pants and shirts with a 9-year-old boy’s jacket.
Wordless Wednesday- Shame On The Rainbow
October 26, 2011 By
What I Learned Preschool Edition
September 27, 2011 By
Ah, Preschool. You know the saying, Everything I Learned Or Need To Know, I Learned In Kindergarten. It’s not Kindergarten, it’s Preschool my friends. Well, at least for parents it is. Per usual, the second child is teaching me more than I expected to learn from any child and because of that, I am scared grateful. So, basically, I didn’t know just how enlightening the entire preschool experience could be. Until recently.
We have had an amazing experience with preschool to date. I couldn’t be happier with our decision of placement and the environment for our son. And with that comes some inspiring, interesting and hilarious experiences that we are sure to never forget.
What I Learned Preschool Edition
1. Not every teacher is right for every child. Rather, not every child is right for every teacher.
2. Sometimes you need to consider other options for your child. Even if the familiar is comfortable. (sigh).
3. Finding a teacher that is willing to work with your child on behaviors and other difficulties is like gold.
4. Luckily all the teachers we spoke with were willing but we had to find the right fit. Or platinum if we’re sticking with the analogies.
5. 3-year-old’s eat a lot of bugers.
6. 3-year-old boys are little dirt balls running around. Think Pig Pen from Charlie Brown. That is my son.
7. Food containers hardly ever come home with the lid in tact.
8. Applesauce is nasty to clean out of the little cracks of an insulated lunchbox.
9. It’s smart to invest in 2-3 lunchboxes each school year.
10. Better yet, a (BPA-free) plastic (dishwasher-safe) lunchbox.
11. It is pointless to send your child to school in cute, expensive clothing.
12. Vinegar is good at getting out most stains.
13. You do not need to keep every piece of art or every shred of paper thanks, scissor practice.
14. Preschool is not too young to teach your kids about recycling, right?
15. New Rule: Shoes get taken off before entering the house.
16. It’s amazing how much sand a child can transport home in two tiny shoes.
17. Oh, don’t splurge on shoes either.
18. Keeping essentials in the car, at all times, is extremely helpful.
19. Essentials= hand sanitizer and snacks… and sometimes water.
20. I still wonder how a child can go all day without barely eating a thing and then eat his weight in food during a 5-minute car ride home.
21. Potty-trained children can have accidents when highly distracted.
22. A reusable bag or waterproof wet-bag is a good essential to have on hand as well.
23. Especially for a child that still has accidents at school.
24. Stock your child’s cubby or preschool bathroom with bum wipes.
25. Note to self: drill in the requirement that your child washes his hands after going potty. (see #5)
26. It’s easy to spot the parents that only have one child.
27. It’s easy to spot the parents that have multiple children, like me.
28. Strapping my toddler to my body is the fastest way to drop off the older children.
29. But letting my toddler run all over the preschool playground counts as going to the park, right?
30. To be continued…
You might also like… What I Wish I Learned Before Having Boys
News Flash: You Don’t Have Control Of Your Children Today
September 1, 2011 By
Last week I begrudgingly took my oldest (8) and my youngest (1) to the beach to join some friends for an “End of Summer Playdate”. My youngest has become a little (what’s a nice word) put off by all types of sand lately so I wasn’t exactly sure how it would go. I sucked it up, packed the over-sized beach blanket and hoped for the best. Surprisingly, the morning went smoothly and fun was had by all.
Fast forward to yesterday. It was “Come Meet the PTO, Parents and Kids Day” at the beach. Of course we couldn’t miss that. Especially since my son is changing schools. What kind of mom would I be if I didn’t take my 8-year-old to meet and mingle with the kids at his new school before the first day of school?! But what mom in her right mind wants to take three young kids to the beach on her own? uh huh.
I ignored the thought of this “beach day” thinking that it would never come or that I could just wing it and everyone would pleasantly surprise me. And by everyone, I mean my children. I called my mom early yesterday morning,
“Mom, are you working today? …can you take some time off and come to the beach with us?”
She said something that resembled a “no” but I couldn’t quite hear over the laughing coming from the other end of the phone. I asked my husband just one more time (one more time = at least five more times) before he left for work yesterday morning if he could stay home with the little guys or come to the beach with us. The front door slammed so fast it made my eyes water.
Completely out of options, I ended up putting it off as long as I possibly could and then piled the kids in the car. In my attempt to make myself feel better, I set some expectations and loaded the kids up on some important reminders on our car ride there. While seeking some compassion, I reminded my 8-year-old that it’s only mommy today and pleaded with him asked him to please listen well and to remember that safety comes first– for instance, checking in often and definitely alerting mommy before going anywhere. I mustered up my really high voice (cause a high voice means love and butterflies and makes your preschooler actually listen to you, right?) and just short of batting my eyes, I sweetly asked my 3-year-old to listen to mommy and be a good boy. His reply?
“Can we go see trains… the fast trains… the fast BLUE trains?”
Can you say one-track mind? It was at that point that I knew I should have turned back. I might have also whispered sweet nothings (something about being a good boy) into my toddler’s ear but I never admit to willing my children to be on their best behavior. ahem.
Let me see if I can accurately describe our afternoon. The shortened version, of course.
8yo fixated on the water and could hardly contain himself (you’d think he has never seen the ocean before or it’s more likely he was way excited and a tad nervous. Understandable… for the most part).
1yo patiently rested on my hip while the 3yo explored nearby.
I introduced myself to a nearby parent. She then directed me to a mom of another 4th grader and we chatted.
8yo said hello to the other mom and then ran towards the water.
She called her son over to say hi to my son. (oops too late for that).
3yo ran farther away but still within a good range.
8yo ran by me (I think he said hello to the other 9yo boys) and yelled something about putting his shirt in the stroller.
I ran after the 3yo (1yo was surprisingly still on my hip… likely due to the sand aversion).
I looked around… 8yo was nowhere to be found.
The mom (the one I had JUST met) told me that she’d run after my 3yo and watch him. (extremely sweet but slightly embarrassing at the same time).
I started to inwardly panic and then ran towards the stroller, looked towards the restrooms, then back towards the beach…
I saw the other mom literally running after my 3yo child.
A few seconds later, I finally saw my 8yo in the water.
After a few more similar type incidents (and feeling totally overwhelmed and utterly embarrassed) I strapped the two little guys in the stroller and motioned for the 8yo.
I motioned for the 8yo for 5 long minutes.
I ran towards the water, leaving my two children in the stroller, and with a different mom, to get my 8yo.
I then made the 8yo stand with his brothers while I apologized to the parents that got more than they bargained for out of their beach day.
We left the beach.
Then my husband texts me to see how our day at the beach is going and asks me to send him some pictures.
Here’s what went down.
Lucky for me my husband knows I’m a little dramatic but, after we spoke on the phone, he did agree with me that it was a difficult outing.
Validation. Phew.
At least I was smart enough to bring the double stroller.
What I Wish I Learned Before Having Boys
August 23, 2011 By
Normally I do a “What I Learned” type post but considering I’m still learning what it’s like to raise boys, I figured this was appropriate.
By the way, I fully expect to add to this list as early as this afternoon…
- We have yet to experience bunk beds (I secretly fear them, but know they are coming) but I will say that I wish I had invested in a padded headboard for my 3-year-old.
- Every male should have the middle name: Kamikaze. Just write it in on the birth certificate.
- LEGO Duplo blocks hurt like a mother when you step on them with bare feet.
- Tampons make great parachute packs for GI Joes (see above).
- Do not put carpet in the bathrooms.
- Actually, don’t have in the bathrooms that you don’t want to get “wet”.
- The fascination with the pen!s starts in the womb.
- Anything can be made to resemble a gun (see the line directly above).
- Dog piles, wrestling, farting, burping, putting a hose between your legs while laughing… it’s all in their DNA and it can’t be changed. So don’t even try.
- Sometimes you just have to let go (or walk into another room and bite your tongue).
- All knock knock jokes will contain any (or all) of the following words: fart, burp, poop, pee pee, poo poo head…
- Get over your fears of creepy crawly things because your son will eventually hand you a worm.
- A dirt-crusted face with a smile is the most adorable thing ever (I wasn’t anticipating this one at all).
- Football really isn’t all that bad after all.
- You may think you are a “girl mom” until you have all boys (I didn’t anticipate this one, either).
- The term Mama’s Boy is no lie.
- It’s likely there will be (multiple) grey hairs by age 32.
He Has A Plan.
July 29, 2011 By
From the very beginning, this child has had a mind of his own. He was not planned but he had a plan, a big plan. I’ve also learned that he fancies taking his sweet time figuring out the minute details of his grandiose plan and, in turn, tests my patience to the max along the way. This child was brought to me to make me stronger- as a person, as a mother, as a wife, as a voice… I could go on and on. And I’m just now seeing how he has altered and enhanced my life… 3.5 years later.
He taught me to slow down when I was put on full bed rest at just 22-weeks pregnant. Which then became a simple reminder to focus more on family and showed me who was there for me during a time when I felt vulnerable, guilty, helpless and emotionally weak.
He taught me to listen to my body when I went into false labor with him at 36 weeks. When to look at my husband and my mother and utter the words “something just isn’t right“. He taught me that no matter how uncomfortable I may be, waiting is always the best answer. And he was so right. He also taught me that I can birth a baby over 7 pounds. (that’s another story).
He taught me to listen to my intuition, take it seriously and to never doubt myself as a mother. At 4 days old I knew something wasn’t right; I knew the doctor was wrong for not testing his bilirubin levels the day before. I will never forget the fear that came over my entire body when the on-call doctor called my cell phone and made me wait at the lab for immediate instructions on admitting him to the NICU.
He taught me that things could be worse and to be grateful for health. Even though it was just a severe case of neonatal jaundice, I remember feeling like the world was going to end. Partially because I’m dramatic, partially because those dang postpartum hormones are brutal, partially because I just wanted to bring one of my babies home with me- basically, I wanted to be selfish. I wanted to put the past behind me, never hear the word jaundice ever again, and just snuggle my new baby at home, not from an isolette every 3 hours for 15-20 minutes.
He taught me that not all babies fall asleep in the car. He has since taught me that not all kids nap in the car (or even nod off in the car after a long day at Disneyland) (I know! right?!).
He taught me that not every baby is the same. Just because his older brother could sleep and nurse on the go, it sure doesn’t mean that every baby (him) will do the same.
He taught me how to plan my day around feedings, naps and the 6:00PM Witching Hour.
He taught me that not all kids hit, bite, spit, and/or throw themselves on the floor as a form of a temper tantrum. Oh no. He had to one-up 90% of all the children out there. His choice of tantrum? High. Pitch. Screaming.
He also taught me that it is possible to have a migraine every day for 6 months straight. With a newborn baby brother in the middle of it all.
He taught me to, once again, slow down and listen to his unspoken voice. No matter what kind of day I’m having, no matter how frustrated his actions make me, he is teaching me to think before I speak.
He taught me that he will show us when he’s ready for changes and that not everyone accepts changes in a positive way, all the time.
He taught me that everything is not always as it appears. Sometimes I think he’s behind for his age (weight, height, vocabulary, comprehension) and then, like today, he “reads” me the entire Green Eggs and Ham book. (and by read I mean he has actually listened to me and memorized the entire book in the past week or so).
He has taught me so much in the short time he’s been here and I look forward to what this amazing child has in store and what I will learn along the way. Because you know that saying “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”? I’ve had many of moments where I thought this child was going to be the end of me and then he reads me Green Eggs and Ham and I become putty in his little hands and start bawling like a baby.
He challenges me to my limit and amazes me to my core.
I mean who couldn’t love that face?
I’ve been called “maternal” since the day I could hold a baby doll. I’ve become a pregnancy, baby and parenting resource since having my first child almost 10 years ago. This is my blog and where I share my journey through parenthood with you.
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