Saturday, January 14, 2012

We Need to Work Together As a Family

Daddy doesn't always agree with the title. When Daddy cooks, it's Daddy in the kitchen. He doesn't even like to have the boys in the kitchen at all.

All the sudden Daddy read a book about discipline and realized that our boys do need to help. It teaches them about responsibility, how to work together and makes us closer as a family.

Daddy had Mica take out the trash for the first time this week. I've been having them help with laundry. They like to put the clothes in the washer and dryer. Then they have to put their own socks, underwear and Mica puts his own pants away. They hand me clean dishes to put away from the dishwasher.

I like the boy's help when cooking and baking. My only problem with that lately is that they fight over who is going to help me. Mica has some major issues with sibling rivalry right now. The problem just popped up last week. Both boys want to help me in the kitchen.

Today they argued over who was going to help me at dinner time. I said, "Hey you both can help. You'll just take turns." Mica kind of huffed and puffed. I said, "Mica can you start by getting Mom an onion?" Mica said, "I don't want to do that." I said, "Ok Isaak can you get Mommy an onion?" Isaak started to go get one and Mica made a mad dash to the refrigerator. Then Isaak started crying. I took the onion Mica got out and put it back and said, "Mica you said that you didn't want to get an onion out for me. Isaak can you please get this onion out?" After that things sort of went smoothly. Each one took turns putting chopped onion, garlic into the soup I made.

Above is just one situation of how Mica's been acting. I would think it would have to do with me spending less time with him, but it's not true. We've been going to the YMCA and spending more quality time with one another then before.

I'm thinking what Mica is going through is just a stage in childhood. I don't want him to feel like I don't care, but he can't act like a pain in the rear to Isaak. Mica will learn that Isaak and him have to take turns.

Today is a struggle of a day.

Today Isaak and Mica Were Punished

I had plans to go to 5 stores. Brave I know. Each place was really quick! We started off at the most boring place and went to go to the most fun place of all at the end.

I had to get yet another memory card for my camera, paper for my printer, a birthday card for my brother-in-law Tyson, Valentines, fabric band-aids (I have developed an allergy to Latex, YAY!), and a Schleich dog.

We were at store number 4. It was almost time to go to the last, most fun store of all. Mica decided it was much more fun to play with a toy that was away from me, instead of staying with me. Isaak decided it was cool to start kicking and punching Mica just for fun. I made them sit down on the floor besides me. They both were still trying to get at each other, then they got up and started playing tag down the isle. I didn't even get all of what I went there for. I simply did not say a word. I just grabbed them by their coats, paid for my band-aids, and left.

Instead of going to Toys R Us to get what I needed wanted, a Schleich dog, we went home. I wanted to get one for a craft I'm working on. I've tried 3 stores to get a little $3 dog. Two didn't sell them and one sold them, but their rack of Schleich animals was empty.
Dog found here. I wish I could find him in the stores!
I never know with stores what is appropriate discipline? This is when I wish I had a handbook of what you should or shouldn't do with your children! Our boys are sometimes pretty good and other times; I'll admit they lack good behavior in stores. I felt a little better when my cousin's wife told me that she doesn't even take her kids to a single store anymore. I totally can handle our kids in one store. With Daddy and I working different schedules I'd never get anything done. They have to go out and about sometimes. I have to say singly our kids are GREAT. It's when they are together that they can be crazy! They get each other going.

Last week they were angels at the grocery store, this week they were the biggest punks at Walgreen's. I don't know if it's the time of day?, the fact that I kept them busy at the grocery store last week?, or maybe I just over did them today? I'm not sure.

They missed out on what was supposed to be the fun part of today. They got to listen to me in the car talk about manners. Then at home I took a time-out. Isaak got put down for a nap early.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

What One Gets When Winter Hits This Late

A lot of traffic jams and accidents! Yesterday it was warm. We just needed a warm jacket. Today it's cold! It's 20 degrees now, but with the wind it feels like it's 5 degrees. It barely snowed earlier today and we had all kinds of problems. It put a sheet of black ice all over my work's parking lot. The interstate was jam packed with traffic and accidents. Luckily the problems were on the other side of the interstate, opposite to the side I was on. Isaak didn't know what to think of the cold weather! He cried all the way to the car in the YMCA parking lot. This year the midwest was spoiled with warm weather. I think winter is finally here.

YMCA

We've been trying as a family to go to the YMCA whenever we can. We still don't have time to do everything we want to. I'd love to start lifting weights. We may have to give up a night of family gym or swimming to lift weights. I do have to say that I love working out as a family. To me it's fun. I don't get to see the kids all day. I dislike sticking them in a room for someone else to watch them, so I can lift weights. At the same time I'd like to lift weights. We'll have to find a balance.

Tuesday and Thursday they have family gym. It's where families get together to stretch, talk about nutrition and play games. The first time we went Isaak wouldn't participate in stretching at all. He was in fact a grump about it! This last time, Isaak kept watching me and stretching right along with me. Last week Mica and Daddy went to play soccer on scooters. This week we played nutrition tag. Someone stood in the middle of the gym and said some kind of fruit or veggie. The people that ate the one called off got a free pass, while the others had to wait. When the word, "GO!" was called off everyone ran before the middle person could tag the line of people. Whoever got tagged went in the middle. Before too long there were more taggers to get people. My legs actually hurt today from running. Mica's pretty good at tag! Isaak doesn't comprehend too much direction yet; he also isn't a fast runner at all. We also had stations with a parachute and balls, jump rope and hop balls. Both Mica and Isaak could not figure out how to jump rope. Mica started to cry because he couldn't figure out this task. :( Did I ever mention that Mica's a major perfectionist? He gets mad at himself when he can't get something done right. Daddy tried showing him. Then the lady in charge came over and showed him that he can pretend to jump rope without the rope. She said, "It just takes some coordination." I loved jumping rope and quickly realized how much I missed it.

Open swimming is every Wednesday and Friday. The boy's swim lessons are on Monday. So far we've been going. The boy's love it. Isaak has even started to jump in by himself with the noodle wrapped around him, he also back floats with the noodle and doggie paddles with the noodle. Lets just say that the noodle and Isaak are good friends. Mica reaches the bottom, so he just walks all over. Mica now back floats pretty easily. We mainly have to get after Mica for jumping, not warning us and almost smacking into us. He also LOVES to splash us. Tonight I showed the boys that I can do a summer salt in the water. They thought I was pretty cool for my summer salt action. LOL Daddy and I take turns with laps down the pool.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Monday, January 9, 2012

We're Trying a New Tactic Out

We've found that our boys sometimes like the time-out chair. Daddy's been reading and listening to pod casts on parenting.

We cleared off the landing. Instead of separating the kids when they get in trouble, we put them together. They got in the fight, they have to figure out how to fix it. We cleared off the landing and that is where they go.

Does it work? We're not sure yet. We do hear them discussing how they are going to fix their problem.

For instance: The boys like to kick one another. It not out of anger, just fun for them until someone gets hurt. It went too far, so they went on the landing to discuss what they were going to do instead of kick one another. I wasn't sure if Isaak was able to discuss too much; because of his age. Guess what? He did. He said, "Mica instead of kicking one another we could kick a ball." That's progress, right?

This is what we are trying out. We're new to this way of discipline. The goal is for them to solve their own problems. It's that or talking to them with analogies that they can understand.

I do have to say that they after trying this, they do seem to work better with one another sometimes.

Yesterday Mica tried to overplay Isaak. He only wanted Isaak to put his new airplane together according to the instructions. I took Mica aside and said, "Mica do you remember when Mommy taught you how to put puzzles together?" He shook his head. I said, "I told you to put all the outside pieces together first. Then the middle ones. This made it easy to put together. After many times of putting it together you didn't do it the way Mommy told you." He shook his head. I said, "Directions are there to help you. Just like Mommy helped you with puzzles. After you know how to put something together, you can or Isaak can put it together any way you/he likes. Let Isaak put the airplane together the way he wants to." He seemed to get it.

Today I Feel Like I'm Not Communicating, or People Are Not Listening to Me

This morning I start breakfast. I cooked peppers, onion and garlic in a pan with olive oil. I told Daddy to toast 2 English Muffins, spread a healthier alternative to cream cheese on them (can't remember what that stuff is called) and put the veggies on top. Then I mentioned to just toast one piece of bread for the boys and put natural peanut butter on it. I knew the boys wouldn't go for what we had. Usually I don't cater to their wants when it comes to eating, but with breakfast, I just don't want to start out the day with a fight and unhappy souls.

Daddy does the same things with their toast as our English muffins. I'm thinking, "Oh well." They bitched complained, but ate it. I heard, "Veggies for breakfast? This isn't breakfast food!" I want to start eating veggies more often for breakfast! 

Last night Daddy and I talked once again about signing Isaak up for another preschool, he'd be going to 2 then. It would take some weight off my parents one day a week, the second preschool isn't that expensive, Isaak dislikes when he doesn't have preschool (he loves it), Daddy mentioned that he'd love to have some more time to himself and we had to make a decision because spring session is starting now.

Daddy goes to turn in paper work this morning. He enrolls him for fall. I'm thinking, "Ok." I guess no one gets more break for the spring. We do save money. I wouldn't of had him hurry to turn in the paper work if he was registering him for fall.

I get to work and my boss comes to get my adapter to plug into the big projector. Someone's wasn't working. I told him where it was at. I mentioned that I put it in there because another teacher and I both use it in that room.

He comes back once to tell me to get it back when lecture time was over. He comes back again to tell me, "Never mind I'll get it." He comes back a third time to say, "The guy needs it still, you don't use it do you?" I said, "Um...ya I use it. That is why you gave it to me in the first place." :) I wasn't mad at all. I was just confused that he was confused.

I had to type up a schedule for classes that the students have this year. I've told them many times that I'd like to be called, "Alissa Apel." The school always says, "No you have to have Mrs. Apel." They have, "Ms. Apel" down. I guess I'm not married. SURPRISE! Sarcasm!

I do think it's all together stupid that females are called, "Mrs. Ms. and Miss." when males only go by "Mr." Our country is confusing.

Another teacher has her full name. Every college I've went to calls their art instructors by their first name, sometimes we called our fine art instructors by their last name. The thing is, is sometimes in college there are students older than the teacher. It's a little odd for those students to call me, "Mrs. Apel." I've gotten used to it, but other instructors go by their first name. I find it so inconsistent, it makes me feel old and I'd like to be called what I want to be called. Am I silly? I suppose at this point it doesn't matter. I mean my fist name is Alissa and my last name is Apel. After teaching for years Mrs. Apel has stuck. I'm used to now.

I was just told that I won't be getting one of my books for one of my classes that starts this week. 

Luckily it's not a reading book. It's a visual source book. It would have been nice to know this last week; as opposed to this week. I think this is a common college thing that happens. 

To end on a positive note: It's like Christmas around here. All of first year gets their new MacBook Pro's, the latest Adobe Software, Microsoft Software, web programs, bags and flash drives. 

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