Rainy days
Wednesday, January 16th, 2013From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
It has been raining here for days. This entire month has been grey, damp and depressing. I’m pretty sure I get mild seasonal affective disorder in the winter months. As a mom, I get very frustrated when I can’t send my kids outside to play. Our yard is a complete swamp after a week of rain.
The television can be tempting. We have tons of educational programing options, but I really try to limit how much they use it. Even with PBS, I feel guilty using it for “play” time, but it has helped Tate learn his letters and sounds. As I have previously discussed, my boys use iPhones and iPods better than most adults, so they can find entertainment, games and puzzles even with the TV off.
It takes energy to be a mom when the weather is great, but it takes exponentially more energy when the weather is bad. I try to give my best early in the day. The TV has an off button and I have a craft drawer, crayons and learning activity books for both of my boys. I understand that it is not my job to jump around and entertain my kids constantly, but I can get them started on projects and play that let them entertain themselves.
As they age, the boys are playing well together almost every day. Jack’s educational development is trickling down to his little brother. I love it when they play well together. However, after being cooped up for days, the boys eventually need to be separated and have a break from each other. They have their own rooms where there are plenty of toys they can independently play with.
Unfortunately, the latest forecast is calling for another 7 days of rain. It looks like we’ll be playing more board games and Jack’s favorite, UNO. I hope it’s bright and sunny where you are.
