Thursday, December 28, 2017

Our Newest Endeavor: Creating Our Own Nature Scouts!


             Hey folks! You may have noticed we like to stay busy. There is always something to do or some project around here. A lot of times it seems like it is some big outdoor project, like building a rabbit hutch or expanding the fencing area on an animal enclosure. We do work on other things too. (I guess those big projects just seem more interesting to write about.)
             Right now the main things on my plate (when I have time) are making Christmas cards for retirement home residents (which I talked about last week), making ornaments to give my aunts and other extended family members for Christmas, and working on a beginner's guide to chickens. (I've been trying to work on one of my “just for fun” fictional stories too, but keep getting writer's block. Ugh!) Naturally, we picked the worst time of year to come up with it, but we also have plans on starting something fun for Myka: nature scouts!
             So, what would our nature scouts entail? Lots of fun (I hope) learning about different aspects of the outdoors!

-Tree, bird, animal track, and plant identification
-Nature/green crafts
-How to fish
-How to build a fire
-Nature hikes (with a theme, such as discovering creek critters, wild edible identification, survival skills, etc.)
-Hiking safety
-Camping trips
-Field trips to local parks/nature areas
-Water safety
-How to use basic tools
-Outdoor projects (such as building bird houses, making walking sticks, etc.)
-Gardening
-And more!


             Sounds fun, right?! (Or is it just me?) Our nature scouts group will be inclusive, non-religiously affiliated, and open to both boys AND girls of all ages (probably starting at 3 years old). While many scout groups seem to only have a certain uniform for special events, I am doing away with one altogether because I feel like that's just another superfluous cost for the parents. HOWEVER, while I'm all about free play as well, I also believe it's important and beneficial for children to have goals to work towards (see Myka's state park patch program endeavor HERE), so we WILL be earning badges as well. I've even looked into websites with low-cost patches already and am very excited about this aspect! I haven't decided yet, but, instead of having the traditional vest or sash to display earned badges, I may let them choose whatever item they would like to feature them on. (For example, a backpack instead.)
             Now that we have talked about the “what” of nature scouts, perhaps more importantly, let's talk about the “why”. We have several reasons...


*First of all, Myka is still too young for Girl Scouts. After seeing how into completing one of the state park patch programs she was, I feel like that shouldn't stop her from being in some sort of scout group.

*Although I'm not sure exactly how it works, but, from what I have gathered from a friend, your child joins whatever group covers your local school district. And, while the group that said friend's daughter is in sounds like they do tons of fun stuff, they live in the next big town over. We live near a little podunk town and I'm scared to death it would be mostly “Susie Homemaker” type projects. I can (and do) teach Myka how to do that stuff at home (like cook).

*Myka is really into nature, so why not make that the focus of the group?

*While there is another, similar group, in Bloomington (what I refer to as the “next big town over”), they are currently not meeting up because of lack of parent volunteers. I guess they only supposedly need one more, so it seems like a pretty lame excuse not to meet up to me.

*I wanted something that included the best of both worlds for Myka: Earning patches like in regular scouts, but getting to do nature things anywhere instead of strictly state parks, like the program mentioned previously. (Not that she didn't enjoy that too.)

*I really feel having a mixed age group of both genders of children is beneficial to everyone. Younger kids can learn by example from older children and older kids can learn to be patient and help out with younger kids. Everyone learns from each other!

*Having a religious-free environment is really important to me too. There are plenty of organizations that are religiously-affiliated. But, quite frankly, I don't see what that has to do with anything as far as scouts go...Unless they are learning about God and whatnot to earn badges. I don't know. I'm not saying we will only accept agnostics and/or atheists to the group because, well, that's just as biased and we are neither of those. We will accept anyone so long as they don't try to push their own beliefs on the rest of the group. That's not ok. We're here to learn about nature, not world religions.

*When it comes to some of the areas we will cover, I will actually be learning alongside the kids! (Or at least somewhat in advance to help with the lessons. ;) )

*Quite frankly, I'm already tired of having to drive at least a half an hour in either direction to go do fun stuff with the kids. It's about time we have people come to us, methinks. That being said, even if we have NO ONE else join our “group”, we still totally intend on doing this for Myka and our other kids when they get older. But, you know the old saying: The more the merrier!

What do you think? Are we totally nuts, or does this sound like a great idea? Would you and your kids join something like this?
This Is How We Roll Thursday Party
ethannevelyn.com

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Our Normal (And Not-So-Normal) Holiday Traditions


             Hey folks! It's hard to believe it's Christmas in a few short days, isn't it? I am sure a lot of us are still busy preparing. Speaking of which, I thought I would share some of our own holiday traditions for fun today.

I'm cheating. I couldn't find the picture I was looking for. This is actually from Halloween a few years ago. :P

Baking Cookies

Who doesn't bake this time of year, right? Although I don't do nearly as much year round as I used to, I still love baking certain cookies around the holidays. Since we would all gain like 30 pounds if I baked all the kinds of cookies I like to around this time of year, we don't always bake the same things. Some years we make chocolate crinkle cookies and Mexican wedding cakes (my favorite!), others we might make gingerbread cookies and snickerdoodles.

Picking a Tree

We are real tree fans all the way, so it's always fun going to a tree farm to pick out the yearly Christmas tree. Plus, we use a log from the previous year's tree to...

Make a Yule Log

This is one of my favorite traditions we've adopted since moving to the country. What does where we live have to do with anything? Traditionally, it is meant to bring good luck for the coming year by burning the Yule log. It's a lot easier to actually burn it living in the country than the apartment in town we lived in before. ;) Plus, we're all nature lovers, so it's fun to get Myka involved in helping us pick out nature items to use to decorate our log.

Open a Few Presents Early

In the past, we have let Myka open a small present (or two or three) early for a few reasons. One being that I am terrible about waiting to give people presents. Two, we actually celebrate the winter solstice/Yule, which falls a few days before Christmas, so we let them open a present for that. (We really just do the normal “Christmas” stuff for the kids and because the rest of our families do. We're the weirdos. :P) Finally, we want our kids to appreciate their gifts and we're hoping this helps, as opposed to the whole “open everything at once as quickly as possible” situation.

This is from last year. :)

Cute Picture for Holiday Cards

I used to (secretly) get jealous of people's cutesy picture Christmas cards before I had kids. Naturally, I've totally hopped on that bandwagon since having my own kids. However, I'm a cheapskate and take my own Christmas photo of the kids, hoping for the best, and create cards on Walmart. It is what it is.

I ended up with 109 cards this year!

Christmas Cards for the Elderly

As I've mentioned in several previous posts, I started a tradition last year of making Christmas cards for local nursing home residents. I love being crafty and have always had a soft spot for the elderly, so I feel like it's my “good thing” for the year.

What are some of your favorite winter holiday traditions?
This Is How We Roll Thursday Party

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Obersee Kids Luggage Giveaway


Sponsored ByObersee

Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

3 WINNERS will receive: 

Their choice of Obersee Kids Luggage with Integrated Cooler! A $240 TRV Giveaway!

The Obersee Kids Luggage / Suitcase boasts a blend of creativity, functionality and style. All kids luggage features a main compartment for clothing, toys and other travel items. Additionally, the inner compartment features clothing straps and a pocket large enough for books. The outside of the suitcase features two drink pockets, additional outer pocket for easy storage, a carrying handle, quality wheels, and a sturdy pull bar for easy transport. Best of all, the front pocket is an insulated snack cooler for toting snacks while traveling. Measurements: 16" tall x 11" wide x 8.5" deep (40 x 28 x 22 cm); Suitable for use as carry-on baggage; Durable construction; Additional front pocket (on front of cooler pocket) for quick and easy storage; Ages 3+; Meets or exceeds applicable CPSIA & FDA standards.

Open to US entrants only and must be 18+ to enter.
Giveaway Dates ~ 12/19 9:00 AM EST through 1/12 11:59PM EST
Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winners will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winners have 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Baby Tooshy Portable Diaper Caddy Giveaway

Sponsored By: Baby Tooshy

Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

2 WINNERS will receive: 

A Baby Tooshy Large Capacity Diaper Caddy Organizer! ($52 TRV)

Vote For Me @ The Top Mommy Blogs Directory
Open to US entrants only and must be 18+ to enter.
Giveaway Dates ~ 12/18 9:00AM EST through 1/10 11:59PM EST

Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winners will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winners have 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.

Child-Led Learning (And Why We Do It!)


             Hey folks! By now I'm sure most of you have noticed that we homeschool. Sure, it's “just” preschool, we're just starting out, and I'm still considering this a “practice year”, for the most part, but it's a lot bigger deal than I could have imagined. These early years lay the foundation for so many important skills for later on: Learning to read and comprehension, understanding basic math concepts, and, hopefully, developing a love for learning. That last one is probably the most important goal I have for Myka this year, above all others. Why should my daughter care about learning anything if it's not fun?
             With that being said, it's even more important to me now to let my 5 year old lead the way when it comes to what we learn about. Some people might this this is crazy (how will they learn what's important?!), but it actually works out. Today I'm here to share with you why it works (for us, anyways) and why you might consider this approach if you're planning on teaching your littles at home too!

Playing with shells and sea critters in their pretend ocean. (I guess Elmo and Big Bird were along for the ride.)

*She gets to learn about what interests her. What better way to help foster a love of learning than letting our kids learn about what interests them, right?

*It's more fun. If kids enjoy what they're learning, they are...

*More engaged. Any kid is going to pay more attention and be more engaged with topics that actually interest them. Plus, for example, how many of us remember reading books in high school English class that we could care less about? Sure, high school is a long way off for us, but I think you understand what I'm getting at.

*Children learn by doing and playing. I know. Crazy concept. Seriously, though. We try to do a lot of crafts, games, and play outside as much as possible and she still learns so much just from that.

*Real life experiences makes for a well-rounded person. Myka loves going places, interacting with people, and helping with things around the house, especially cooking. I think it's just as important for her to learn life and social skills as it is ABC's and numbers.

The mess we used to make marbled leaf fall decorations with turned into a sensory bin afterwards.

*You can still incorporate academics. Oftentimes, it is still easy to “sneak in” academics. Count the acorns you found on a nature walk. What color are the pom-poms we're using for this craft? What are some other things or animals that start with the letter “W” (while doing a letter craft)?

*She gets to learn at her own pace. Again, I want learning to be fun, not forced!

*For the most part (at least at this age), she will learn what she “needs to” regardless. Now, I'm sure as she gets older I will have to incorporate things that she may have not otherwise chosen, but for now, letting her choose works.

*We still end up covering a lot of the same themes that preschools/kindergartens teach...But we probably have a lot more fun with ours. ;) (Can you say dinosaur plaster of paris footprints?! Fun!) Dinosaurs, birds, seasons, ocean life...You get the idea.

Excavating Halloween treasures from an ice hand.

             So far it is a lot of fun to see what she wants to learn about. And, in case you're wondering, most of the time I don't come out and ask her straight up what she wants to learn about unless I'm running out of ideas. I just try to pay attention to what she is into playing at the time or what she finds really interesting on the tv shows I do let her watch. (Wild Kratts is her favorite, so, needless to say, we do a lot of nature themes.)

 She loves doing science experiments, so I try to roll with it. Here we were dissolving baking soda balls with colored vinegar to find what treasures were inside.
             This approach also works out great if, like me, you're not terribly into planning things ahead of time. I'll usually plan things for a week, maybe two at a time, and that's it. It also works out at this age because really, they don't need to be spending a lot of time doing academic things. Therefore, you don't have to plan much. Myka is very much a visual, hands-on, and movement learner, so I try to find activities accordingly, as well as field trips when we can. Honestly, I usually only plan 2-3 things per day...and not even every day of the typical work week!
             Sure, she may still forget some of her ABC's, but she can tell you what kind of bird is out on the feeder in the front yard. She can easily strike up a conversation with anyone and everyone wherever we go. She can even tell you parts of a volcano! So, I don't stress over the academic stuff. She will remember those ABC's eventually and remember that it is called “fifteen” and not “fiveteen”. ;) She is learning so much more than “book knowledge” and “test prep” and enjoying doing so and really, that's all I can ask for. :)
This Is How We Roll Thursday Party

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Omaiki Hero Nighttime Training Pants Giveaway

           Do you have a little one potty learning? Perhaps you have an older child who needs nighttime protection. Mama Banana's Adventures has tested out many overnight trainers and loves the Omaiki HERO! Made in Canada and available in a large range of sizes & prints, this trainer can be customized for absorbency and has a waterproof outer layer. See Mama Banana's Adventures Omaiki HERO Review and enter to win one below! Open to USA & Canada ends1/6.


    Omaiki is a well-known company that products cloth diapers, trainers and accessories Made in Canada. The HERO pant is available in both a day and a night trainer in many different sizes, colors and has customizable absorbency. Omaiki HERO features include:
  • Nighttime trainers specially designed for older children.
  • Sold with its 2 bamboo absorbent inserts
    • 56% bamboo viscose – 24% organic cotton – 20% polyester
  • Machine Washable
    • Wash inside out
    • Prep 5-6 times before using
  • Made in Canada with Canadian Fabrics
  • 100% Waterproof PUL outer layer
  • Stay-dry lining 100% polyester
  • Available in many sizes:
    • 18-24m : Waist 16-18” / Tighs 12-14” 3-4Y : Waist 18-20” / Tighs 14-16” 5-6Y : Waist 20-22” / Tighs 16-18” 7-8Y : Waist 22-24” / Tighs 18-20” (seen here) 9-10Y : Waist : 24-26” / Tighs 20-22”
For the giveaway! Enter to win your choice of HERO training pant below. Open to USA & Canada, void where prohibited. Good luck and thanks for stopping by!  
  Disclosure: Chances of winning are based on the number of entries received. This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or any other social media network. Open to USA & Canada, winners must be 18+, void where prohibited. Confirmed Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be drawn. No purchase necessary. Participating bloggers are not responsible prize fulfilment, or for lost or stolen prizes. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Event organized by Mama Banana's Adventures, please direct questions about this promotion to MamaBananasAdventures@gmail.com.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Farming Simulator Game Giveaway

Welcome to the Farming Simulator-Nintendo Switch Edition Giveaway!

1 winner

This giveaway is part of our Holiday Gift Guide – Stop by to see all the giveaways and great products.
This contest is hosted by the Social Media Gurus Network!
Host that put together this giveaway is Michigan Saving and More
Below is a list of all the bloggers involved in the gift guide giveaways.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now let’s get to the sponsor!
 

Maximum Games

Farming Simulator – Nintendo Switch Edition

$48.92 RV each
See the review HERE.

~~~~~~

THE GIVEAWAY

This giveaway is in no way endorsed, affiliated, or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site.You are not eligible if you have won a prize from the sponsor in the last 12 month. This Giveaway is valid in the United States Only and Entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter. This giveaway event will end at 11:59 PM (EST) 12/25/17. The winners will have 48 hours to email their information back to las93063 at gmail dot com or a new winner will be drawn, you may want to put this email address as safe as it could go to spam. The sponsors are each responsible for shipping of the above prizes. No blog associated with this contests are responsible for prize fulfillment. If you would like to be a sponsor in a giveaway like this please email Laura Smith at las930 (at)gmail (dot) com. If you take an entry you must stay following for the entire contest or you will be disqualified.

Also we all “love it if you like us” on Facebook! If you like our blogs on social media it helps us bring you only the best giveaways and more of them!

Enter below and Good Luck!

Kid-Friendly Christmas Craft Round-Up


            Hey folks! It's time for another holiday round-up! Whether you have little ones at home or big kids staying home over break, I hope you find something in today's post to keep everyone occupied!

DIY Christmas Ornament Round-Up for Young Kids
http://mixedbagmama2013.blogspot.com/2015/12/diy-christmas-ornament-round-up-for.html

DIY Winter Hat Christmas Ornaments
https://lessinthenest.com/winter-hat-christmas-ornaments/

 Jeweled Vintage Buttons Christmas Tree Decor
http://www.doodlecraftblog.com/2013/12/jeweled-button-christmas-tree-art.html#

               Snowman Tea Lights
http://www.doodlecraftblog.com/2016/12/snowman-tea-lights.html

            Cookie Snowman
http://www.doodlecraftblog.com/2014/12/cookie-snowman.html

  Clothespin Reindeer Ornament
http://www.doodlecraftblog.com/2015/07/christmas-in-july-clothespin-reindeer.html

Graham Cracker Gingerbread House
https://livelovemess.com/graham-cracker-gingerbread-house/

Super Simple Christmas Tree Craft for Toddlers
https://livelovemess.com/christmas-tree-craft/

 Christmas Craft Kits for Kiddos
http://www.mamawritesreviews.com/post/412/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas-9-chris

  Spatula Painted Reindeer Craft
https://happytoddlerplaytime.com/spatula-painted-reindeer-craft/

Easy Christmas Tree Craft
http://queenofthelandoftwigsnberries.com/easy-christmas-tree-craft/

  Happy Santa Craft
http://lovemybighappyfamily.com/happy-santa-craft/

Reindeer Crafts & Activities
http://www.sunshineandmunchkins.com/2015/12/reindeer-day.html

*All images and ideas belong to the bloggers who willingly shared their posts with me to use in this round up.
 
This Is How We Roll Thursday Party
ethannevelyn.com

Monday, December 11, 2017

Bookroo Children's Book Subscription Box Giveaway

Welcome to the Bookroo Children's Book Subscription Box Giveaway!

1 Winner
This giveaway is part of our Holiday Gift Guide – Stop by to see all the giveaways and great products.
This contest is hosted by the Social Media Gurus Network!
Host that put together this giveaway is The Homespun Chics
Below is a list of all the bloggers involved in the gift guide giveaways.

A Girl Rocks Life, A Rain Of Thought, All About My Deals, Bargnhtress, Deliciously Savvy, Easter Babe’s Theory, Everyday Gizmos Sweeps & Views, Freebies Deals & Steals, Heartbeats ~ Soul Stains, Here We Go Again Ready, Java John Z’s, Jerri1962sBlog, Lisa-Queen of Random, Living Simply, Michigan Saving and More, Missy’s Views and Savings Clues, My Silly Little Gang, mom are we there yet, MyStyleSpot, Peyton’s Momma, RedHeaded Patti, SaraLee’s Deals Steals & Giveaways, Simply Sherryl, Sweet Southern Savings, Tales From A Southern Mom, The Homespun Chics, Welcome To My Kitchen

Thank You, To All The Awesome Promoting Bloggers

~~~~~~

Now let’s get to the sponsor!

Bookroo

Winner will receive one month's box of choice between Board Book box, Picture Book box, or Junior Book box.
See our latest review HERE!
~~~~~~

THE GIVEAWAY

This giveaway is in no way endorsed, affiliated, or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. You are not eligible if you have won a prize from the sponsor in the last 6 months. This Giveaway is valid in the United States only and entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter. This giveaway event will end at 11:59 PM (EST) 12/23/17. The winner will have 48 hours to email their information back to thehomespunchics at gmail dot com or a new winner will be drawn, you may want to put this email address as safe as it could go to spam. The sponsors are each responsible for shipping of the above prizes. No blogs associated with these contests are responsible for prize fulfillment. If you would like to be a sponsor in a giveaway like this please email Joanne Gregory at thehomespunchics (at)gmail (dot) com. If you take an entry you must stay following for the entire contest or you will be disqualified.

12 Reasons You Should Take Nature Walks with Your Kids...Any Time of Year!

            
            Hey folks! I've been slacking about letting/making the kids get outside as often as they usually do since the temperature has dropped lately. My goal is to get out more this winter too...Mostly because I know my kids will drive me absolutely crazy if we stay cooped up inside too much. It's already on my list to make sure each of them have appropriate gear for when it gets really cold/snowy. Third trimester of pregnancy or not, we're playing outside this winter!
             With that being said, I had (what I hope is) a good idea for a blog post the other day when we took a short, impromptu nature walk at home. I'm sure I've left a lot of good points out, but here are some of my thoughts to get you motivated to get outdoors with your kids...Any time of year!

*Exercise-I know. Obvious one. That's why I thought we'd start out with it. Everyone, including children, can benefit from some exercise, especially after being cooped up at school or at work, in your case.
*Fresh Air-Getting some fresh air outside is a great escape from stuffy indoor air, especially during the colder months when you're not as likely to spend as much time outdoors. Plus, unless you have, for example, some kind of respiratory illness, I believe getting fresh air can help alleviate sickness. Mine and Myka's noses were both less stuffy after we got done with our short walk the other day!
*Better Sleep-Yes, it is said that exercise helps wake you, but it also helps you sleep better as well!
*Less Grouchy-At least personally, I have found that my 5 year old seems to be less grouchy when we are outside more often.
*Burn Off Extra Energy-Most kids, at least at some point or another, can benefit from burning some extra energy off, right?! And again, in theory, it should help them fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. (Plus, who wants to deal with a hyper kid at the end of the day, amiright?)
*Physical Development-Walking with little ones and letting older kids climb trees, play in the creek, etc. along the way helps with gross motor development. Plus, if you do some close up investigating of bugs and whatnot, that helps with fine motor development!
*Risk Analysis-To go along with the previous point, kids can get a lot of experience with risk analysis in the woods if you let them. (Within reason, of course.) Let them climb on those logs. Let them try to climb that tree. Let them walk across stones in a creek. Unless your child is just really rambunctious and reckless, oftentimes children are better at judging what is safe and what is not more than we give them credit for.
*Educational/learning opportunities-I feel like this one probably goes without saying too, like exercise. There are SO many things you can learn about from going on nature walks: animal habitats, bird, tree, and plant identification, seasonal changes, etc. You can even talk about survival skills, if you're feeling adventurous!
*Become Aware of Your Surroundings-We all worry about “stranger danger” and safety in busy/public places with our kids. But, I don't know about you, I wish my 5 year old were more aware of her surroundings and paid better attention to what she is doing in general, no matter the location. I feel like nature walks helps with this, even if just briefly. As a matter of fact, she found two possum skeletons on our walk the other day that I probably wouldn't have even noticed until I stepped on them!
*Learn to Respect Nature-I think this applies to both adults AND children. You know what they say, if they develop a love for nature, they will naturally start respecting it and wanting to protect it. Again with learning opportunities, talk about how litter can harm wildlife and “leaving no trace behind”. (I think collecting some treasures, if you're not at a public place where it isn't allowed anyways, is ok before anyone gets their panties in a bunch. ;) )
*Time to Talk-Families are busy nowadays. School, work, extracurricular activities, and so on, it can become difficult to spend real quality time together. Taking nature walks together kind of forces you to slow down, in a good way, and be able to talk about what's going on in everyone's lives.
*Help with Seasonal Affective Disorder Symptoms-Even though we already talked about health benefits, I saved this one until the end since it applies more to adults. When looking up natural ways to help alleviate SAD symptoms, the main one you will find is getting more sunlight/vitamin C and D, which go hand in hand! I have issues with this and do find the more time I spend outdoors, the better off I am.

Do you get your kids out regardless of what time of year it is? What benefits would you add to this list?
This Is How We Roll Thursday Party
ethannevelyn.com

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Why TV is No Longer the Enemy...


             Hey folks! Like many of you, probably, I had lots of ideas on what I was NOT going to do when I had my own kids. It's easy to do, right? Then they finally arrive and things turn out very differently than you had imagined.
             For instance, as my 5 year old has gotten older, she seems to get bored more easily. She used to play by herself so well, too, when she was Ripley's age...Just like Ripley does (for the time being). Now, she doesn't even play with toys all that much. She'll go through phases where she will play almost obsessively with one thing or another (this week it is dragons, dinosaurs, and fairies) for a day or two, but that's about it. Myka is very much an activity and outing driven person.
             I love doing activities...within reason. Usually once we start doing things, she doesn't want to stop. “I wanna do more school stuff. Let's make another craft. What are we doing next?” And, to be honest, I'm still working on my patience game and she can be very...Trying. She throws fits over (what I believe to be, at least) stupid, little things, like a piece of construction paper moving on a craft project because she's pushing on it too hard. Or, oh my God, she has glue on her fingers and they're sticky...Even though I remind her constantly that we can wash our hands when we're done. Those are just a couple examples, but it gets exhausting quickly.
             She also wants to go somewhere all the time. Like, she literally asks me everyday if we can go somewhere. It's usually just Memaw and Papaw's house, but still. That's annoying enough. (Are we that bad?! My husband and I often wonder.) As I've mentioned before, I'm an introvert and while that doesn't mean I don't like going places, it does mean that it can stress me out or tire me out, usually the latter. Outings are draining for me most of the time.
             So by now, you may be wondering what any of this has to do with my original point. Well, TV. TV was one of those big things I was against before I had my own kids and as a new mom. We had already gotten rid of our cable by the time Myka was born, so it was easy enough. Movies were ok in my mind. (Though naturally, most of our kids' movies are Disney, which I still have some major qualms with.) But then, as I said, she got older...and more bored. And I just cannot physically and mentally commit myself to interacting with her as much as she may want some days. So...
             TV is no longer the enemy. We still don't have cable, but we do have some thing attached to the window that gets us some PBS channels. I like PBS. I'm ok with PBS. Their shows are actually educational and she enjoys them, so I don't mind. (Hell, I like watching some PBS shows! Have you seen The Vietnam War series? Amazing!)
             To be honest, she has actually learned quite a lot from her favorite PBS cartoons, especially Wild Kratts. Lately, she asks me every morning if Wild Kratts is coming on and I'm like, “Dude. Wild Kratts doesn't come on until it gets dark out! We just woke up!” lol I love that she loves nature shows, though. Heck, she even likes watching the David Attenborough shows we have on dvd. But that's a different story. We're talking about tv here. ;)
             Her other favorites are Dinosaur Train and Daniel Tiger. Thank-freaking-God, she has actually picked up some good life lessons from Daniel Tiger. I would be lying if I said my husband and I don't use it to our advantage too. “Remember what Daniel Tiger said the other day?” Our current favorite is, “You gotta try new food 'cause it might taste goo-ood!”
             With all that being said, I do still believe in moderation. Some days are better than others, of course, depending on what I need to get done for the day and what mood she and I are both in. I try to limit it to one or two shows in the morning while we eat and I do blog stuff. If we're not busy or she's not actually playing with something in the afternoon, I'll turn the tv on when Dinosaur Train and Daniel Tiger are on. (She loves Super Why too, which is great because she really needs to work on letters and reading!) I guess it boils down to a big thank you to PBS for actually having educational programs that aren't mind-numbingly stupid and I don't feel guilty about letting her watch...And, you know, saving my sanity on the not-so-good days. ;)
What is tv time like in your house? Do you have TV junkies or are you all about moderation?
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