A trip to the park. Two adults, seven kids and one very full wagon!
What's in your wagon?
...four backpacks, two helmets, one scooter, seven hoodies, three empty water bottles, several used wet wipes...and if necessary, two little girls!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
A Trip to The Park
A trip to the park. Two adults, seven kids and one very full wagon!
What's in your wagon?
...four backpacks, two helmets, one scooter, seven hoodies, three empty water bottles, several used wet wipes...and if necessary, two little girls!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Adventures of a PlayGroup
Today Grace and I ventured back to play group. The new PowerPlex has a morning playgroup Tuesdays and Thursdays in the gymnasium.
When my boys were small we used to visit a local playgroup religiously twice a week. When Grace came my intentions were to continue the same routine with her, however, it just never seemed to work out.
At the time, Kindergarten, naps... there was always something preventing us from getting there. But, today, off we went!
The new facility is quite nice and there were plenty of activities for the kids to do, including just plain old running around! Grace scooted about playing soccer, hula-hooping, chased her Mother, and reunited with some familiar faces. Some times were so caught up in driving from here to there, hockey, Little Gym, that I forget how much fun it is to get out and just have some fun with my girl.
Let's be honest, on a miserable day no one wants to be stuck inside all day. Add in some possible adult conversation, perfect! As my girlfriend and I watched our two power-house little ladies putter about I had forgotten how a full conversation consists of multiple broken sentences. From, "Crap, where'd she go", to "Wait for your turn please!", to my all favorite "Come on Mama", it's next to impossible to have a conversation that is ever really completed or fully retained. Once again, part of the parenting package.
Now, Grace being my third, is quite able to carry on without me scurrying by her side and recovers from a bump or fall with little to no coddling. Her third-child placement in the family along with two older brothers have made her outgoing, independent and a little powerhouse. Let's be honest, learning to wait your turn, share with your friends or saying your sorry isn't that easy. But we as parents persevere and hope that at some point the concept will just click and on we go. I follow Grace and encourage her to share the ball with her friends, not to jump until her friend is out of the way, and remove her from the line when she skips. Always explaining that it's our friends turn to jump and your have to wait your turn. Without argument she listens and then waits her turn. So today, as my daughter politely skipped the line for the ladder (again), the mother of the child she butted in front of proceeded to grab her arm and shove her out of the way. No "excuse me wait your turn please" - nothing. Just a hand on the arm and a shove out of the way!
My friend and I both stand there in disbelief. I am thinking to myself, touch my child again and I'll break your fingers! Who the hell DID this woman think she was! I would never entertain the idea of manhandling another child other than my own. There was no physical altercation happening here! No blood! No screaming! Just a gym full of kids having fun; and with that, we as mothers/caregivers etc, bring with us a level of tolerance and understanding. How are these small kids going to learn manners and fair play when their "example" is that! We both move over next to the ladder waiting for this mother to make eye contact! Of course she didn't. I guess SHE didn't see anything wrong with what she'd done. I on the other hand, I was wanting to rip her head off and sputtered a rant of profanity in my head!!
From here, I kept a close eye on my daughter to make sure she stayed clear of this woman and her two girls. If there was a next time, she was not going to get away with it. This woman hovered over her children through every move they made. A typical helicopter parent - over parenting at it's finest! Forget allowing your children to learn to interact with others, problem solve or just be a kid. She was attached at the hip removing any obstacle that got in the way of her girls. Soccer ball, kicked out of the way. Running the circuit with the Staff - they didn't participate. Kid skips you in line, we'll get her out of the way too!
Good luck in the real world with that one Missy! I'm thinking, one day one of your children with push another kid (you can't stop everything); [You] will probably scold your child, only to hear the words, "But Mommy that's what you did!" - what a wonderful lesson that was taught today!
_________________________________________________
In the end, my little stinker and I had a great time together!! We ended our morning outing with a trip to McDonald's for an ice cream cone and diet coke, then toddled home for some Caillou and Playdoh! Oh playgroup! Never a dull moment! Always keeping us on our toes! Forever an adventure!
When my boys were small we used to visit a local playgroup religiously twice a week. When Grace came my intentions were to continue the same routine with her, however, it just never seemed to work out.
At the time, Kindergarten, naps... there was always something preventing us from getting there. But, today, off we went!
The new facility is quite nice and there were plenty of activities for the kids to do, including just plain old running around! Grace scooted about playing soccer, hula-hooping, chased her Mother, and reunited with some familiar faces. Some times were so caught up in driving from here to there, hockey, Little Gym, that I forget how much fun it is to get out and just have some fun with my girl.
Let's be honest, on a miserable day no one wants to be stuck inside all day. Add in some possible adult conversation, perfect! As my girlfriend and I watched our two power-house little ladies putter about I had forgotten how a full conversation consists of multiple broken sentences. From, "Crap, where'd she go", to "Wait for your turn please!", to my all favorite "Come on Mama", it's next to impossible to have a conversation that is ever really completed or fully retained. Once again, part of the parenting package.
Now, Grace being my third, is quite able to carry on without me scurrying by her side and recovers from a bump or fall with little to no coddling. Her third-child placement in the family along with two older brothers have made her outgoing, independent and a little powerhouse. Let's be honest, learning to wait your turn, share with your friends or saying your sorry isn't that easy. But we as parents persevere and hope that at some point the concept will just click and on we go. I follow Grace and encourage her to share the ball with her friends, not to jump until her friend is out of the way, and remove her from the line when she skips. Always explaining that it's our friends turn to jump and your have to wait your turn. Without argument she listens and then waits her turn. So today, as my daughter politely skipped the line for the ladder (again), the mother of the child she butted in front of proceeded to grab her arm and shove her out of the way. No "excuse me wait your turn please" - nothing. Just a hand on the arm and a shove out of the way!
My friend and I both stand there in disbelief. I am thinking to myself, touch my child again and I'll break your fingers! Who the hell DID this woman think she was! I would never entertain the idea of manhandling another child other than my own. There was no physical altercation happening here! No blood! No screaming! Just a gym full of kids having fun; and with that, we as mothers/caregivers etc, bring with us a level of tolerance and understanding. How are these small kids going to learn manners and fair play when their "example" is that! We both move over next to the ladder waiting for this mother to make eye contact! Of course she didn't. I guess SHE didn't see anything wrong with what she'd done. I on the other hand, I was wanting to rip her head off and sputtered a rant of profanity in my head!!
From here, I kept a close eye on my daughter to make sure she stayed clear of this woman and her two girls. If there was a next time, she was not going to get away with it. This woman hovered over her children through every move they made. A typical helicopter parent - over parenting at it's finest! Forget allowing your children to learn to interact with others, problem solve or just be a kid. She was attached at the hip removing any obstacle that got in the way of her girls. Soccer ball, kicked out of the way. Running the circuit with the Staff - they didn't participate. Kid skips you in line, we'll get her out of the way too!
Good luck in the real world with that one Missy! I'm thinking, one day one of your children with push another kid (you can't stop everything); [You] will probably scold your child, only to hear the words, "But Mommy that's what you did!" - what a wonderful lesson that was taught today!
_________________________________________________
In the end, my little stinker and I had a great time together!! We ended our morning outing with a trip to McDonald's for an ice cream cone and diet coke, then toddled home for some Caillou and Playdoh! Oh playgroup! Never a dull moment! Always keeping us on our toes! Forever an adventure!
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