4Real Forums: "investing" in the little ones

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Nurturing the Years of Wonder ( Forum Locked)
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Topic: "investing" in the little ones

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setonmom
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Posted: Sept 15 2012 at 2:28pm \| IP Logged

We are having our best school year ever, and my daughter ( age 17) and I agree on the reason why the year is going so well. This year I have gotten in the routine of "investing" an hour to an hour and a half every morning in my three your old. I do preschool with him, which he loves, then he goes outside for a walk with me or other outdoor activity with me.
The payoff for this hour and a half? A kid who is happy, plays independently and takes a three hour nap!
SO much better than being constantly interrupted because he's trashing the house!
HAs anyone else had a similar experience?

jawgee
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Posted: Sept 15 2012 at 2:39pm \| IP Logged

Oh, I really needed to read this. My 4YO and 3YO get my "leftovers" sometimes. I need to do better at this.

I'd do ANYTHING for a 3-hour nap from them. LOL. That hasn't happened in years.

I printed out MackFam's preschool booklist last week and planned to incorporate some of that with my two little ones. What, specifically, do you do with your 4YO?

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Monica

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CrunchyMom
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Posted: Sept 15 2012 at 5:54pm \| IP Logged

There is a parenting book somewhere that calls this concept "filling their cup." I do often need to be reminded of this when my little ones start acting out. I have found the day is much smoother when I spend time "filling cups" early in the day

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Lindsay
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setonmom
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Posted: Sept 15 2012 at 7:02pm \| IP Logged

My little guy is three. Specifically, what I do is this.
7:00 am up, breakfast, potty, dressed, etc
then I do my morning chores until about 9 or 9:30, while he either plays independently, or follows me around saying "mommy can we do preschool now?"
around 9 or 9:30, we start preschool. He has some preschool workbooks, he is not coordinated enough to color but he likes to watch me color in his workbooks. Most days we do a little activity ( sometimes from his preschool book, sometimes from other sources like the Mailbox magazine). Sometimes I will read him a book during this time.( he gets read to before naptime at 2) Then we go to outdoor time. We will either take a walk, look for acorns, or he will ride his bike around the driveway.
Then we come in and he has a snack. While he is having his snack I work one on one with my 8 year old.
Then it is his job to play somewhat independently while I work with my 8 year old or one of the other kids. Sometimes I will say he had his turn with mommy and now it is another childs turn.
Just my opinion but I think the outdoor time is what is really key with the whole naptime thing.

Martha
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Posted: Sept 17 2012 at 10:59am \| IP Logged

Yes. It's a standard admonishment that I the preschooler/baby are being pains - give 20 to get 40. 20 minutes of focused intense attention usually nets 40 of independent contentment.

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Martha
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