Today the twins are back at school and Alex is at daycare.
I did have mixed feelings about the twins going back to school.
Not having to make school lunches, drop kids at school and pick up was great while the holidays lasted.
Kids fighting and being constantly at each other did get annoying.
Quiet time with no kids is the best part of school going back.
The sad part of school going back is that we are back to schedules and racing there and everywhere.
So how did you fare during the holidays?
I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things but I do wish it was still holidays. I suppose being ill with a cold or the flu that will not go away (I’m not sure what it is other than I am unwell – I just want to sleep all day)
The twins are growing up so quickly, they only have two more terms left of grade five and then next year is their last year of primary school… soon to be big high school kids. I don’t know how this time has flown by but it has.
I must say that kids going back to school is a little better on the hip pocket…keeping the little ones entertained can get expensive. School means that the costs are less but there is still costs, i.e school excursions, events and after school activities to pay for.
Did you do a happy dance when your kids went off school this morning? Or maybe they have been back for weeks already?
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I am a little better than I was but there is a cough that is not going away, and I also to feel constantly tired, runny nose, and a sore throat. Yep, not well at all!
Just a note to anyone dealing with this horrible flu…If you have too much cough syrup you get diarrhoea!
I had a few days of a cough not stopping and I overdosed on the cough medicine and ended up with a very sensitive belly. Just what I needed, another issue to deal with, and one that means that leaving the house is not a good idea.
Why is it not possible to just curl up and sleep for a while.
Why do I have to leave the house at all????
The problem is that I know the why.
I need to take kids to school and pick them up, plus after school activities. I need to look after my little boy and take him to care for the two days that he goes per week.
On the days that the kids and baby have been at school and care I have tried to rest. However due to being sick and not being able to do chores the house looks like a bomb has gone off.
Yesterday after the baby finally went to bed I folded and put away all the clothes that were waiting to get sorted. Now I can see and use the lounge. A small win really. Although after this effort I really wanted to have a nap. The nap did not happen as I needed to go pick up kids and go to the shops.
Are you currently struggling with the flu?
This year has been a horrible year with many people getting ill and the flu is meant to a horrible strain that knocks you out for a while.
It is just a pity that I don’t have a helper that can step in for me while I get better. A clone of me would be ideal. I could just power up the clone version of me and they can do everything while I rest and get better.
Let me know how you are coping if you are sick.
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Kids are now back at school and having a fab time. YES! Thank goodness you hear me say! I think I need another two weeks to be at the same energy and speed I was at before school holidays. Do you find you need some weeks to yourself as your little holiday? I know I do!
Just between you and me, there have been more than a few times that I did deep breathing and relaxation exercises to chill myself out. Holidays are always full on in my house. Kids want to go at a million miles an hour and never seem to get tired. They wake earlier and carry on till late and then repeat it all again the next day. Exhausting really! Why is it that they can sleep in on school days but not holidays or weekends? If you know let me know!
I did love lazing about at home with no particular thing to do or be at. No school lunches to make and I did not have to race off to pick kids up from anything. This was great, but there was one thing that I missed and dread on school holidays.
It is some quiet time for me! I do love some time out with no noise, yelling, fighting and carrying on that allows me to just do my thing. I can think, I can just sit with my own thoughts for a while. Being on the go constantly takes its toll. Just having a little time alone is a help.
Meditating with Body Beyond Birth
So what did I do that helped a bit?
As you know I have participating in the Body Beyond Birth 12 week program. I have struggled with a sore eye and of course then school holidays, but I did manage to do some wonderful meditation videos. These left me feeling much calmer than before I did the mediation and armed to face the rest of my day.
If you have not looked at Body Beyond Birth, why not take a look at their brilliant website and all the great resources there. The program is fun and you can take it with you if you travel.
What allowed you to get through the school holidays calmer? Did you manage to find time for you? Exercise or see a mate that you love to chat to? Let us know.
Let us know your thoughts. Why not continue the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Today I have the first parent teacher interviews of the year. This is the first year that the girls have been separated, and I am excited to hear how each teacher thinks each kid is going.
One major reason for being keen on hearing teacher feedback is the twins have been mixed up for the last three years. They had two years of pre-school where they got them confused, and in Kindy they were together. I am sure they did get them a bit mixed up, there were comments that I was sure was for the other child and not the one mentioned.
Finally a report for each child and a teacher that will not mix them up! I wonder how much this report will differ from last year?
The classroom all set for parent teacher interviews
Do you have twins in the same class? Have they been constantly mixed up and confused with report time or parent teacher night or afternoon? Have you made the change to have your twins in different classes? Has this helped them and the teachers know who is who?
The girls are very different people and I am glad that they can express themselves in different classes. It helps each child be themselves and not compared to their sister. It is hard enough looking exactly like the other person. Having time for you and to allow you to just be is needed.
Have you found that your twins have blossomed after being in separate classes. Did you notice this more when you got the first report card? Or was it during the parent teacher interview?
Let us know your thoughts. Why not continue the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
I AM TRYING TO WORK ON SOMETHING THAT IS RATHER IMPORTANT AND NEED TO CONCENTRATE! CAN DADDY HELP YOU?
I told hubby before being bothered that he had to sort dinner and everything else. He was happy to do it as I was busy. Great I thought, until the Weet-Bix meltdown began.
For the last couple of days the kids have not been feeling well, and one is coughing and had a slight temperature. The other had a bit of a temperature also, but it was nothing to worry about. So we did the normal fluids, painkillers, kisses and cuddles and that was it.
The kids of course requested to have Weet-Bix for dinner. We thought fine, they are not well and at least they are eating something.
When the twins are feeling unwell they like to have Weet-Bix for dinner. Yes this could be a parenting fail. But I think if they are sick, it is better that they eat something than nothing.
Just to explain: I’m the mum who gets the interest of the worried doctor due to kids looking thin and underweight. My kids have always been at the bottom 3rd percentile on the graph in the blue book you get when you have a baby.
I know my kids are fuss pots with eating, however they were on track for their milestones and have been ahead for some of them. This was good as one doctor we saw in the early days was convinced the twins might be delayed, so wonderful this was not to be.
So as you now understand if my fussy eaters, when sick desire Weet-Bix, we let them.
Hubby prepared the Weet-Bix but was not prepared for the outcome.
This is how it all unfolded:
Hubby brings Weet-bix to children.
One kid takes a look at the Weet-Bix and starts screaming and crying.
She says, “That is not how you make Weet-Bix!!!!” “Mummy does not make it like this!”
This child was so upset and annoyed by the way the Weet-Bix was, she had to physically remove herself away from the food and could not touch it as she was in such hysterics.
Not the way Weet-Bix should be! Daddy why did you do this she said!
Hubby also got told:
“How could you?”
“That’s not how you do it!
This is not correct!”
All of this was accompanied by waving of arms, crying and putting hands on face in major disappointment.
Due to hubby’s loss at what the issue was, and of course dealing with a traumatised child, I piped in and said,
“If you don’t like it, you can fix it. Go to the kitchen and do it the way you like it”
She took the matter into her own hands, left the room and went to the kitchen.
She returned with a bowl of Weet-Bix created in the way she likes and wanted in the first place.
Weet-bix made by the child in question and just the way she likes it!
Daddy said that she reacted like he had given her a pooh sandwich.
Have you ever done something for the kids to have a hysterical reaction to what you did?
What was the thing that made the child/children so upset? Was it as simple as not organising the Weet-Bix like the child wanted?
Note: Daddy put the flakes of Weet-Bix in the bowl as well as the last biscuits. He was being thrifty and good to use every last part of the box. However if you use too much of the end flaky bits it makes it clump and just be a big mess. I think that this is what the issue was.
Let us know your thoughts. Why not continue the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Have you said something silly? That makes no sense? Or it could make sense but not at the time of day or the place when you said it?
Well I have! And it is happening more due to kids, being super tired and on the go all the time!
The other day hubby said this:
“I vacuumed the backyard and it is looking good”
Now I don’t know about you but most men or women don’t use a vacuum to mow their lawn. A mower is the tool of trade and it does the job quite nicely.
Maybe hubby knows something we don’t. The vacuum must put the finishing touches on his perfect lawn and makes it look amazing.
As soon as this came out of his mouth the kids could not stop laughing and I of course got the giggles. He was obviously very tired to be saying this.
Or maybe he wanted to vacuum as well? I will not stop someone who wishes to do more housework.
Daddy vacuuming the backyard! Yes that is the way he keeps the place looking a million bucks. You should try it! Man vacuuming by Image courtesy of artur84 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net, but grass added by me.
Earlier this week after I got home with kids from school I said the following:
“Get your luggage out of the car”
Then I got this reaction.
Lillian told me, while laughing.” Mummy you are tired! They are not our luggage, there our school bags!”
Maybe I was tired, but it does feel at times that I have heaps of luggage in the car.
Kissing and cuddling your daughter to then tell her “Good night” but this was at school drop off. Now I need to have more sleep if I’m doing this! Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
And there is this one that I said when kids started pre-school and sometimes still do it now and they are in grade one:
Saying “Good night” when dropping kids at school.
Yes I know they are at school but maybe I have wishful thinking. Maybe I will get a nap or they will have a rest too? It does show that I am tired or brain is elsewhere.
Have you done this too? What is the weirdest thing you have said to the kids or someone else? Did you think it was a sign you needed to go back to bed? I do at times.
Let us know your thoughts. Why not continue the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Do you sometimes think you are not being a good parent. I do. I sometimes stop and think I am not fun, being terrible and so on. However for the most part I think I am doing an awesome job. Everyone has moments in their work life or any role that they doubt what they are doing or have done. The below quotes are great to help you have the pick me up you need. It will inspire you and give you an injection of ideas as a parent.
These parenting quotes will inspire you to be an amazing parent & to stop doubting yourself. You are doing an amazing job!
On Monday the 1st of December I got the Christmas tree and all the decorations ready to put up with the kids. However this did not happen due to a missing foot on the base. I had 3 of them but needed the 4th. If I did not have this last bit the tree falls over due to the weight of the top of the tree. Not good at all!
I could not find it and of course did not know where to start looking. I looked where we normally put the tree up in the living room to see if it was under something. No not there! I looked in the shed where the box for the Christmas tree lived before I got it that afternoon. No not there, although the shed is a mess and it might be there and not seen yet.
So I had two angry and upset kids who were very much looking forward to putting up the Christmas tree. I explained that I was very sorry and I have done my best to find this missing piece for the tree. I had some bad behaviour from one girl and she was sent to her room for some time out.
I told both girls that I will sort out the issue of the tree and we will find something.
Yesterday I managed to find a Christmas tree at Vinnies and it was only $5! Yes how amazing. Other tress that were from the shops were going for nearly $100. I did not want to spend that much and could not afford to on a tree.
So now kids are super happy and we have a Christmas tree. I still want to find the missing part of the other tree, but now I am glad that I have a replacement, kids are happy and I can find it when I can.
After they saw the tree they were so excited! I got cuddles, kisses and a lot of thanks. I hope this nice behaviour lasts. It was so nice to do this and I was very thankful that I was able to and found something.
Have you managed to create a bit of magic at your place lately? I think it was magical that this happened. I was in the right place at the right time to get the tree we needed. I have made the kids super happy and this will make Christmas extra special for the kids.
“The best way to make children good is to make them happy” Oscar Wilde
Both girls have been telling everyone about our new Christmas tree. They are even asking if Santa will notice the new tree when he visits.
Having the excitement of the Christmas tree I realised that it is the small things and being present that really count. Being with your child and sharing the little moments are what is important. I try and do this and don’t worry about the housework or other things that will take me away from the kids. If I am here with them, I am being with them.
Do you have left over nappies? Has your baby grown out of them and you have just found a bunch that you don’t need? Don’t throw them out, give them to someone that can use them.
On Friday while at The Bloggers Brunch, I heard a lovely talk from a volunteer from The Nappy Collective. She said that some mothers who are struggling have a choice; buy food for their baby or buy nappies.
I know what I would choose…food outweighs the nappy option. However this is not much of a choice. Nappies are essential for the baby but food is more essential. I cannot imagine being faced with this dilemma and have to sacrifice an essential item for my child. I know that many have done this and more might be placed in circumstances out of their control, then are faced with decisions like this.
“Every year there are 350,000 babies born in Australia” (Nappy Collective Video). There are so many nappies that can be collected to help a family in need.
Many women are in this predicament due to the following:
Not enough money to spend on essentials. All the money goes to keep food, and a roof over the families heads.
Domestic violence – The mother and child/children leave and end up with just the clothes on their backs and not much else. Many women flee to a shelter or the like and are reliant on donations until they get back on their feet.
Relationship breakdown. Divorce is a big one that means that women mainly are left with little to no money and of course they are predominately the primary carer for the kids. This means that what little money they do have is like the first point, goes on essentials for life rather than some other essentials.
“Nappies are a basic essential child care need. A new born can require 10-12 nappies a day and toddler can require 6-8 per day. Families with limited incomes may have to choose between clean nappies and other basic needs such as food for themselves. Lack of frequent nappy changes can cause subsequent health issues and can be very distressful for an infant, potentially compounding an already stressful situation. Low income families may also not have the opportunity buy in bulk resulting in an inequality of spending power.
By passing on your leftover unused nappies you are providing a resource to these families which can reduce a financial burden and assist with healthy growth and development of their children in early childhood. Parents have more time to focus their energy on their parenting and other daily challenges they face. “ (The Nappy Collective Website)
So what can you do?
Donate your nappies that you no longer use. Don’t throw them out! There are people that will use them and be thankful for them!
Get in touch with The Nappy Collective to find out where you can drop them off so you can help a mother and family in need.
Get Involved: Business can become a drop off point, you can sponsor The Nappy Collective and of course you can volunteer as an individual.
We have just missed the collection for Oct/Nov but there is one in Feb/March of 2015. Contact The Nappy Collective to learn more.
Unused nappies will not be the same again to me. They will be sent to people who need them and can really use it to help their family. Make sure you spread the word and help families that really need the nappies.
I used so many nappies when the twins were babies. I cannot imagine not being able to afford nappies for the twins!
Kids are sitting playing on the floor and then in the next minute there is screaming, crying and they are hurt. I race in and try and understand what had happened.
Beware the dangerous floor. Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
After they calm down a bit I finally find out they have fallen over. YES, fallen while they were sitting on the floor. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? Cut legs, hurt feet and bruises. I really don’t get how they can get so hurt from sitting down? Does this happen to you? This has been happening for years now and it is still making me scratch my head to understand how it happens.
I don’t know if my kids are a talented lot, or if this is something that all kids do? Do your kids manage to fall over when on the floor? What a talented feet have they mastered that they still manage to hurt themselves. I know it is not a skill that is a good thing to have.
I am still at a loss to explain how it happens. Do you have any insight into this? Can you explain why they can fall so close to the floor already? It really is a mystery. Send in your comments.
Do you ever have times where things get on top of you? The housework, kids, life and everything else! Currently I have a lot of things to do and don’t know where to start. I am seeing issues and problems everywhere I look, sit or even lie down there are problems! Due to looking at all the problems it is causing me to get angry and more stressed about the situation. Not good is it? No not at all.
Deep breath! AHHHH focusing on your breathing does help make you feel better. Oh and a camomile tea is needed!
Camomile Tea to make everything all right! Image courtesy of patpitchaya / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I have so many dreams and things I wish to achieve but feel weighed down in the mundane and don’t get a lot done. Today’s wisdom is to focus on my dreams rather than being fixated on my problems. I will aim to work through one issue at a time and be calmer in the process. Harder said than done but this is my aim.
Be led by your dreams. Yes I need to think more like this! Image from Pinterest.
Do you see things that need doing and feel overwhelmed by it all? I know this happens to me. I will try and do one room at a time, and this in turn will give me more clarity to achieve my dreams.
I hope this has inspired you to follow your dreams and not let your problems overshadow your day and focus. Okay, now off to tidy up so that I can then live my dreams.
For those that don’t know the T in the title of this post stands for tonsils. The twins are going to hospital to get them out. Yes both kids are getting it done. 2013 has been the year of the tonsils and I am hoping that 2014 will be the year of health and fitness.
As you can see the Year of the Tonsils has not been celebrated, it really was a year to get annoyed and frustrated that again someone got tonsillitis. Having tonsillitis with one child is not as bad as you might think, and they get over it. If you have two kids one gets it then gives it to her sister and so on. A full year of gift giving tonsillitis to each other. As you might imagine it is not a joy to behold, and constant trips to the doctors where now when I ring, they say, “Oh it’s the twins!” I don’t know if it is a good thing to be so recognised at the doctors, what do you think?
Tomorrow is T Day, Tonsillectomy Day, or Ta Ta to the Tonsils. The kids I have been told will be in separate rooms. Not good but that is the way the rooms at this hospital is set up. Hubby has the day off tomorrow but cannot stay the night due to work the next day. I will stay and be there for the girls in case they wake or need a cuddle and reassurance.
When I called to check how me staying over works I also asked what they will feed them after surgery. I was then told it would be toast. I said, “Toast! Why would you feed them that! You do know what surgery they have just had. There throat will be red raw!”
The lady on the phone said that they give them toast so that if they do bleed or have a complication they have it at the hospital. Oh great. My already fussy or should I say extremely fussy eaters will be offered toast after surgery. I’m sure that will not end well.
I’m packing a cool bag with soft cheese, yoghurt and other things that they might be more inclined to eat. I also asked why they did not feed them jelly or ice cream, and was then told that they have not done this in years. Geez, way to make me feel old!
I am very worried and nervous about the whole thing. I hope that tomorrow goes well and the girls don’t get too upset. I hope that all goes well with the operation and they recover quickly. I’m sure they will be fine, however as mummy I am stressing out as I know what they are in for. I had my tonsils out when I was three and it hurt. However it did not cause an issue and I don’t remember it taking that long to heal. My dad was a joker at the time and decided to try and get me to talk. I had to write things down and to not speak. This made mum get annoyed at him and he just laughed. This is one great memory I have of my father, being silly when I was sick.
Wish me luck that all goes well. We all have to be at the hospital for 7am so an early start for everyone. I hope to be online tomorrow but if I am silent I will be at the hospital with the kids. Talk soon.
Blood Test. Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Yesterday I had to take the twins to get blood taken. Yes you heard that right. I had to get needles in kids to get blood out of them. Not fun and of course I was not looking forward to it at all.
The one child that I thought would have an issue with it all did not. The child that I thought would be okay, was a mess and very upset. The first child sat with me and was very brave and did not cry at all. I was so impressed about my brave little girl. Then the next child’s turn. She sat on my lap also and she was fighting to take off the band that tightens your arm. She kept on saying,”Take it off me, it hurts me”, “Please stop it hurts!” It was hard to get her to stay still and I was constantly trying to get her right arm under control. What a tough strong girl I have created! My poor little one I really felt for her but we needed to get the blood taken. The blood tests are important so that the doctor knows what the kids would need in case of an emergency.
The kid that was super tough stood there and watched her sister and was fascinated by the needle and the blood that was fed into the test tube. Future doctor me thinks. Well you never know. Maybe a scientist?
After a while the nurses took off the arm band that was making her arm uncomfortable. She then said, “This is FUN!”, the nurse then said she was a funny little girl. She giggled and was a brave little one for managing to be good and get it all done. I hated getting it done but next Monday the 20th of January the girls are going into get their tonsils out. Yes! Let’s hope that once this is done that we will be done with the constant sickness we were plagued with in 2013. Mainly we spent all year dealing with tonsillitis. I hope to banish this in 2014. Tonsils be gone and the same with tonsillitis. NO MORE!
The girls were very lucky. The lovely ladies at the pathology, gave them a bravery award, stickers to put on the award, and of course a teddy that they each picked out. I was so proud on how they did when they got their blood taken I bought them a Dora doll. This doll now is the current obsession, the doll is the one that the kids can style Dora’s hair. It came with brush and of course the kids have brushed it so many times I am amazed it still has hair.
I am super impressed with my brave strong girls. I am rather nervous about the whole thing, although I know it will be fine. The kids need to stay in overnight and I would like to be there for them in case they get up during the night. Hubby feels like them being there overnight will be fine. I don’t want them to freak out if they wake up. I know there will be nurses but they might want mummy, so that is the reason that I would like to be there for them.
Have you stayed in hospital when your child/children have had an operation? Did you go home to sleep or stayed at the hospital for your little one? Am I being over protective? I don’t think I care, I think it would be nice for me to be there to make them feel better about the whole thing. What about you?
I made banana cake ages ago and it did not turn out just right. Today I ended up having so many over ripe bananas and thought, what can I do with these? Make banana bread? Banana cake/muffins? I did not want to just throw them out, so I gave it another go.
A new recipe was found and I have to disclose that I used Donna Hay’s recipe for Basic Banana Bread (I have not been paid to endorse this recipe or Donna Hay just tried it and thought it was great to share) and it was in fact very easy to follow and do with kids as well. My girls wanted to help me cook and one in particular was very fussy today and wanted to help mummy and stay close.
Over ripe bananas, just ready to be made into banana bread.
Before I knew it Lillian had jumped up onto the counter tops and was ready to help me make the banana bread. I helped Julia up as one could not just be up there. I was still organising all ingredients and did it while I followed the recipe as it made it easier. The girls helped me.
The girls helping prepare the ingredients & sifting flour
The recipe called for the following(You can find this also on the link to the recipe above):
125g butter, softened
1 cup (175g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups mashed banana
1¾ cups (255g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup (115g) golden syrup
butter, extra, to serve
The girls sifting flour
The girls wanted to add an extra ingredient. What do you think they wanted added? Yep you guessed it chocolate. Hubby thought that banana bread would not be proper with chocolate bits, but I thought what the hell, why not give it a go.
One major failing was that I did not put in the golden syrup like the recipe asked for. This was neglected as I was too busy making sure super eager kids were not doing something they should not have! I only realised this fact after the tin with the mixture had gone into the oven. Oh well, I hope it tastes o.k.
I had a long wait until after dinner and then had to taste my banana bread. Will it be o.k? Will it be something that really needed the golden syrup, would the chocolate bits work? Who knew? It ended up being very yummy and I did not miss the golden syrup that I had missed out adding. Maybe when I make it again, I will add it. This way I will know what the taste should be and if I like it better without or with it.
The banana bread was delicious and the missing ingredient did not seem to matter, and the added chocolate worked so well. How good am I, and of course my wonderful assistants.
Have you made a winning banana bread recipe? Did you change it to suit you and the family? Or did you accidentally forget something that made it different and more you? Send in your comments. Thanks to Donna Hay for the wonderful recipe and giving us a yummy desert tonight.
Running around and creating mischief. Image courtesy of chrisroll at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Are your twins competitive? Mine are. It is tiring and exhausting dealing with kids that argue, annoy each other and want to do the same as the other in the same space, time and with the same things. We nearly have two of everything so there should not be an issue. The issue arises when one child gets something of mine or one of something and then the other wants it also. This as you can imagine makes it hard from a mummy perspective.
So what do I do?
Tell the child with the toy/item that they have a certain time frame to play with it and then it is the others turn. This does lead to the child crying and screaming that they got it first but it does get accepted after a bit of time and explaining.
Once I have the toy/item from the first kid I then give the toy to the other child and they have some time to play with it.
You can make sure it is fair for each child by using a stopwatch or a timer from the kitchen. When the bell sounds the other kid has a go!
If all fails I take the toy away and then no kid can play with it.
If there is a complete meltdown from both kids I take all away and put them in time out or have some quiet time in their room or in the backyard doing something different. A change of scenery is best. Distract and change things around a bit always is helpful.
This age of pushing boundaries and doing more on their own is interesting. Kids are climbing more, hurting themselves and just being secret little explorers. Sometimes they are doing things that they have been told not to do and that is hard to deal with. Maybe I need to hide more things and put them at greater heights. We are already finding chairs and boxes around the house, these have been used by the twins to access things that they are not supposed to have.
Do you find that your kids are getting into things that you told them not to access! Have you found that your little people are having wonderful adventures and are just very busy with heaps to do all the time? I have and it does not stop! Maybe it is the fact of having two kids at the same age.
My hubby has asked what I want for Christmas and my answer is a holiday for me to unwind and relax! I know not very fair to the family but after dealing with all the chaos of kids, meltdowns and being the go between on everything a holiday where I sleep in, get cooked for, and can have some quiet me time is very attractive at the moment.
How do you deal with this active stage with your kids? I do organise things for the girls but they are active little things and always want to do more and explore. Send in your comments.
I think we are cursed to have tonsillitis. The twins have had it off and on all year and of course they have it again. I know some people are more prone to it than others and I think that is true with us.
I don’t have my tonsils and they were removed when I was three. Hubby does not have his and they were taken out when he was about five. The kids grandad on hubby’s side does not have his, and my Nana the kids GG (Great Grandmother) does not have hers. So maybe it is genetic that we cannot deal with infections with the tonsils.
So I think the genes are stacked against the twins and they have lost out in the lottery of who can deal with tonsil infections and those that cannot.
If you look at it from a hereditary perspective, I brought 50% of the genes that cannot deal with infections with tonsils and hubby had the missing 50% that still cannot help with infections with tonsils. So that gives the kids 100% capacity to get sick at anything that is thrown at the poor tonsil. I say poor as it is constantly getting sick!
I don’t know why I say poor tonsils, it should be more like poor kids or poor mummy! Mummy has to deal with looking after the sick and unhappy and still try not to get sick herself. This is a hard battle to face and to slog it out without getting hit from disease is even harder. More times than I would like to count I have been ill! This year has been a slog in the battle fields of the evil tonsillitis! I don’t want it to rear its ugly head here ever again.
So in an effort to rid the house and part of the planet of sickness, I have booked the twins in to see a specialist. An ear, nose and throat specialist. It was not one doctors surgery that has recommended they have their tonsils out, it has been two. The appointment is in December and keen to see what this expert has to say. Crossing fingers he can work his magic and make kids well and they will never suffer the repeated abuse this tonsillitis dishes out!
Have you been a slave to tonsillitis? Do your kids repeatly get sick? Do you find that you are getting ill as well? I do hope that the doctor says that kids are candiates to get their tonsils out, and if so he can do them both at the same time. I am worried that one will freak out while waiting for the other and then not want to do it. From my perspective and theirs best to have it all done at the same time. Not sure on how that would work from the doctors and hosptials end but will see what the outcome of the appontment in December is.
Have your kids had their tonsils removed? Has it helped them? Have they been much better without them? Let me know.
The book that holds the magic formula. Getting kids to behave. Image courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Have you found the magic formula for disciplining your kids? I wish I had. Kids have been little terrors lately and I feel it is the age and the need for more stimulation. I could be wrong but I am trying to believe this. No one listens to mummy, kids don’t do anything they are told or asked to do and as you might imagine, Mummy is over it and exhausted!
I have tried chores, incentives, and the like and all seem not to work. I have tried making it a game and getting them to help with small things, like wiping the table. It does work to a degree then goes pear shaped. Is it the competitiveness between the kids? Is it the fact that they are so close and want to do the same thing at the same time? Maybe it is.
I do feel though that the girls now they are five are pushing boundaries and seeing where it gets them. Mostly this pushing boundaries gets them into trouble. Time out in the corner, no TV, no story or an early bedtime.
Is is due to the fact that they are twins? Pairing up to be mischievous more? Maybe? But siblings have done the same thing, so maybe it is not just down to being twins. Having a buddy in crime is helpful for the kids but annoying for the parent.
Do you have twins? Have you found the age of four to five troublesome? The girls are getting much more confident with their climbing and are little quiet ninjas when they want to not be found out. I do find it hard not to be amazed at how clever they are, but at the same time they are getting into trouble and some of it might cause injury.
I have explained to the girls how some things are very naughty and can cause one or both of them to get hurt. We always say “We don’t want to have to take you to hospital” and the kids don’t want to go, so they start to listen. Kids I know are rough and tumble and getting hurt here or there is part of the cause, but you don’t want it to more serious than a bump or a scratch.
Do you have issues with kids listening, paying attention and doing as you ask? If you have cracked the magic formula to make it all work, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Send in your comments.
At the QT on the Gold Coast there was a digital wall that changed colour, had patterns, and leaves falling to create interest. I must say it was very mesmerizing. I thought why not have some fun pictures with the kids in front of it. Below are some of the pictures from our silly photo shoot. The kids had so much fun. They are such great girls, and future super models with some of the poses.
Silly photo fun with mummy at the QT on the Gold Coast.
Do you take some fun pictures while on holiday? I could not resist this, it just looked so wonderful.
My girls are nearly five years old and they are very good however have been at each other like nothing else lately. It seems that if one is playing with something the other takes it, one might be happy doing something and then want me to help them. I do a bit and then they get whingey when I say I need to go off and do something else. One child gets upset and wants cuddles all day and parts of the days or most of them have been taken up sorting out squabble after squabble. When it is like this nothing can get done at home and then mummy is drained and exhausted. Does this happen to you?
Is it the age I ask? Most friends I speak to have the same problems but these friends have children of different ages. Having twins is difficult as both kids want to do things at the same time, and as a parent that does not have help, it is hard to be in two places at once (I am sure it would be the same as a single parent). Do you have twins or triplets? Has this happened to you at this age?
My girls are so close and love each other to bits, however it gets nasty very quickly. Is it due to the closeness? Or just the fact that they are always together that they get annoyed at each other? I know it just simple sibling rivalry however it does wear on my patience and sometimes my patience does not hold up at all.
As you might have guessed when they are tired and hungry the behaviour gets worse, like most peoples would, so not a big surprise there. So what do I do to curb this type of behaviour?
Tell them that they cannot hurt each other – The child that has hurt the other I take them away and put them in time out.
If the twins are fighting over toys, I take the toy in question away from both of them.
I give them warnings and if they continue their bad behaviour I separate them.
I explain that if they don’t behave then they will not be allowed to go to the park, or somewhere nice as a treat.
Put it in their context, ask them if they would like to be treated the way they have treated their sister. The answer is always “No!” Then I mention that if you treat people horribly they will do it back to you.
Tell them that mummy wants them to be nice and good to each other, I don’t want them hurting or upsetting each other. They seem to understand this and are good. (Well for a bit that is)
Part of the upsets have come from the fact that they are more independent and want to do more. As you can imagine, some things are fine for the twins to do and others not. If it is dangerous I will not allow it. If I can , I have them help me, for example chopping up vegetables for dinner that is fine, as long as I am there to supervise.
Is there more chaos in your house lately? What techniques have worked for you? Do you have twins or triplets and encountered the same behaviour?
Did you manage to figure out a way to get peace in your household? How did you do it? Send in your tips and tricks to us so we can all learn.
