Over the past few months, as I’ve been finding my footing as a mother of three, I’ve been thinking, more Do kids ever do this?!’ Today, experienced parents share tips, including games for kids of all ages.
from kate bearmother of four children (ages 7, 9, 12, and 14):
1. If you can do it now, do it now. Anything that can be done in less than a minute (texting a permit, texting a teacher, signing a form), do it now. It’s not the big tasks that send me into a spiral, it’s the accumulation of small tasks.
2. Become a hosting house. When I unexpectedly found out I was pregnant with my fourth child, I fell into a dark hole of despair and overwhelm. One reason was that no one would want to invite a family of four kids over for dinner. That was one of my biggest fears, and lo and behold, it came true. The solution is a hosting house. We host all kinds of events from New Year’s Eve to Independence Day. It became one of my greatest joys.
3. Say “Let me think about it” instead of “Yes/No” to requests. For a family of six people, there are calendars for six people, and managing that is one of my part-time jobs. Overcommitment is the easiest way to kill family morale. When my kids ask if they can go somewhere or invite a friend over to my house, I give myself time to consider whether it makes sense and make sure one of us doesn’t react emotionally.
from Shoko Tataramother of five children (ages 12, 21, 23, 25, and 27):
4. When our five children still lived at home, eating dinner together every night was our bonding time. During this meal, I learned who the children’s friends were, what they were looking forward to that week, and other things going on in their lives. Eating together at the table can be difficult for young children, but as they grow, it has become one of my favorite parts of the day.
5. I have never flown together as a family because tickets for seven people are expensive. But we do road trips a lot. I relied on games for entertainment. One of our favorites is finding words in alphabetical order outside the car (thank you, the sign). We ended up playing together and it also helped teach my younger siblings how to recognize words.
from caroline chambersmother of four children (8 months, 3 years, 5 years, and 7 years):
6. Don’t overthink it when you’re one-on-one. Time may be tight with work and kids schedules, but just spending 10 minutes with our kids, whether it’s reading together, playing with the dog, or walking to the mailbox, makes us feel much more connected.
7. All four of my kids are under the age of 8, so they have a lot of picky eating habits. Every child should at least try The food is in front of you, but if you really don’t like it, you can just have a sandwich. Let go of the idea of “Eat all the carrots!!!” The spirit of the feud made our dinner more enjoyable.
from Christine Youngmother of six children (ages 13, 15, 20, 22, 24, and 26):
8. Teach your child to wash their own laundry. As soon as each child turned 7, we assigned them a laundry day. tired. That day, the kids started doing laundry before school and I switched to the dryer during the day. When they get home, they fold their freshly washed clothes. Also, assigning your own laundry day is key to knowing who left the mess.
9. I realized I was having a birthday party every other month (!), so I stopped having big parties. Instead, we celebrate as a family and let the birthday child choose which friends to bring along.
tw: loss of child
10. Please note that this paragraph refers to the loss of a child. thank you. Their second son, Colby, died at age 15 from a brain tumor. After his death, my husband and I had to learn how to grieve the loss of a child while also guiding a grieving family. We are Christians and believe we will see Colby again in heaven. Talking about him also helped. For example, when we buy donuts from Krispy Kreme, we always say, “Colby would love this!” We recognize that children express grief in different ways. My oldest son was Colby’s older sister, and my youngest was 4 years old when Colby died. As a result, both children had very different relationships and memories with Colby. But we all love and miss him deeply. He was a wonderful brother and son.
from alex steelmother of four children (ages 3, 7, 10, and 11):
11. I asked the older children to read books to the younger children. At first they were resistant, but once I explained that we were helping their siblings develop their brains (great!) and that they could choose as many books as they wanted (freedom!), they went along with it. Three books I would like to read together are: I want my hat back, rumpelstiltskinand extra thread.
12. I’m one of seven children, and when we were little, my mother invented a game called “Big Mouth.” She took us to a park with a large lawn. Then we all took a deep breath, shout I ran as far as I could without stopping to take a breath. We played all afternoon. I still remember the joy I felt. Gaming fulfilled a deep desire to have my own physical space. I’m currently playing “Big Mouth” on the beach with my kids, and everyone loves it, including me.
13. When my kids aren’t doing well (which happens every day), I tell them, “Look around you.” This one. These are the people you spend your money on. the rest of your life together. These people will love you and be there for you. You need to take it seriously. ”
Do you have or come from a large family? Any other tips? I would love to hear from you.
PS 5 tips to prevent sibling rivalry, how to make kids feel safe, and what is the age difference between the kids?
(Top photo is by kate bear. )
Source: Cup of Jo – cupofjo.com
