Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
The last time my kids were in school was seventeen (and a half) days ago. Back then, we were still busy getting everything ready for the holidays, school programs and the daily routine.  The boys were looking forward to a long vacation and excited for their grandparents stay.

Jack and Tate’s Grandparents were here Christmas week and we all loved their company. After they left, we rang in the New Year with a sushi dinner as a family.  Our holiday routine involved mornings in our pajamas, playing with new toys, reading books and just enough chores to keep the house decent.  We made several trips to the park, hosted a play date, and found time to visit the frozen yogurt shop.  We stayed busy and enjoyed every minute.

We had a fabulous winter break, but now it is January and it is time to get back into the groove.  I feel recharged and I’m ready to start the New Year on the right foot. However, the boys grew comfortable, even a little lazy, without the modest responsibility of school. Jack and Tate were both sad that vacation was over last night at bedtime.

My kids are less motivated about heading back to school after their long break.  Turning on the alarm clock, focusing in the classroom and homework can seem like foreign concepts after a vacation.  As a child, I can remember dreading the first day back.   I hate to see my kids so upset.  They had some tears and feared leaving my side.  I blame myself for not keeping them on our usual schedule.  I mean, who doesn’t want to stay in their pajamas all morning and play with Legos?

I thought giving the kids a little freedom and rest from the usual hustle and bustle would be a nice reward.  Well, it seemed to have backfired.  The next school break I’m going to try my best to make the “back to school” transition easier on them by keeping up with our regular routine.  I’ll be sticking with the same mealtime/bedtime for the most part and planning a little more preparedness several days before school is back in session.  Perhaps this break was longer/colder than most, but my kids have thrived on a routine for most of their life.  I’ve now witnessed what it’s like for us to get off track.

Although the boys were apprehensive about getting in the van to go to school this morning, I’m happy to report both boys had a great first day back.   Once they saw their friends they remembered why school was fun.  I was glad to hear their regular, happy voices after I picked them up from school. I’m glad we are all back on schedule.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
After more than two weeks away from home, Joe, Haley and I returned yesterday. I was really looking forward to it. As we were packing up to leave, I received a text from my friend informing me that a pipe had burst in the basement, and we have no hot water our the building. Back to reality with a bang!

Luckily the situation was resolved very quickly. I was still unpacking and organizing where to put all the new toys and holiday knickknacks when the hot water turned back on. That was a crisis averted. Haley was so excited to be back around her stuff that she skipped her nap. Without a soothing bath I don’t know how we would have gotten her to bed in the evening.

Our trip was more of a “staycation” than anything else. We were staying at my folks’ house, which is not too far away. But we live in a heavily urban area and my family is in the suburbs, so it may as well have been an entire world away. I’m so grateful for that sanctuary because it gives Haley a chance to enjoy some space and fresh air. For example, she got a scooter for Christmas and was able to practice riding it on a long driveway and we didn’t have to worry much for her safety. Once it snowed, she had a huge yard to traipse around in and make multiple snow angels. I was especially appreciative of the house when the temperatures got really low. She could pop back inside so quickly! Not usually the norm for the city kid—once you’re done with playing outside, you’ve got the walk home from the park to contend with.

Even though our time away was great, I am really craving the routine of our normal life. This week Haley’s art and dance classes resume, and I’m hoping to get back into my own exercise routine. It will also be nice to catch up with our friends and find out how their holidays went.

I’m excited to see what the New Year holds for us. Now that we’re all rested up, we’re ready to go!

From Friday Mom – Erin:
One of Rory’s favorite Christmas presents is a lion-shaped walker from one of his “uncles” (one of our dear friends). The battery-powered voice gives him words of encouragement when he walks long distances, and has all sorts of other bells and whistles to encourage him to walk. His father and I had purchased Rory a smaller ride-on toy that doubled as a walker. Now that we have a full-blown toy, we’re very glad to have received it.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of floor space in our tiny house for him to use it. So, on two separate occasions since Christmas, we have taken him to the primary school at the end of our block and let him practice his walking on the field turf of their athletic field. His focus while standing behind the walker is remarkable. He does an excellent job zig-zagging up and down the athletic field. He is still leaning a good bit, but we watched him continually catch his balance and learn to adjust to holding himself perpendicular to the ground. So far, he has only taken one real tumble, and he didn’t even shed a tear. Instead, he pulled himself right back up and kept on shuffling along.

Rory is almost a year old, and you can tell from the look of determination on his face how very much he wants to be able to run after his friends at daycare. Luckily, they have more space and similar toys at “school” to allow him to practice there. We’re hopeful that he continues to receive the same encouragement. It is definitely on his teachers’ “to-do” list, and we are enjoying the updates each evening.

More than anything, we are loving watching Rory’s tenacity emerge as he refines his walking skills. We managed to film a cute video of him using his new toy. His face is beaming with pride as he gains confidence in his mobility. Every now and then we get a little concerned about whether is behind his peers in terms of gross motor skills. But given his newfound focus on putting one foot after another, we know it is only a matter of time before he takes those first few magical steps on his own. And we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the weather warms up soon so we can keep practicing together.

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Starting the New Year off with a fresh start is beneficial in many ways.  For example, it’s a time to take hold of our lives and improve or correct what isn’t working.  Also, our children can learn about self -discipline and the importance of making goals.

I explained to Jack and Tate what resolutions are and how we can do our best at achieving those goals.  They made a list of their New Years resolutions and here are their responses:

1. Be nice to my brother. (J+T)
2. Ride a big bike. (T)
3. Be helpful at school and at home. (J)
4. Build bigger and better Lego sets. (J)
5. No more time outs. (T)
6. Try to be better at not losing things. (J)
7. Try a new sport. (J)
8. Read my new chapter books. (J)
9. Hug mommy more. (T)
10. Try to stay in the lines when coloring. (T)

Jack and Tate are growing up together and they are helping each other learn about the world. Jack can help Tate learn to ride a bike and Tate is growing up fast by his brother’s example. The boys made huge strides last year. I am hopeful they will meet their resolutions this year.

Happy New Year!