As any parent with more than one child can verify, spending quality time with your children as individuals is tough. Especially when all of them are home all day every day.
So we've learned to embrace every opportunity we get. Even if it's not exactly ideal.
Take for instance New Year's Eve...
One of Ian's coworkers had invited us over to their house for a family friendly party. There was going to be good food, sparkling apple cider, and lots of games to pass the evening. Sounded like fun to us, so we had planned to go.
Until New Year's Eve morning when Caleb disappeared halfway through breakfast (scrambled eggs ~ his favorite) while I answered the phone. I checked the bathrooms and bedrooms before walking into the living room and finding him.
That position would pretty much sum up his day. Oh, sure, he managed to eat a tiny bit for lunch and find a new resting spot.
Sleep, instead of our plans to head to our children's museum, were on his agenda for the day. The girls were sorely disappointed as they had been in the house for 3 1/2 days and were entering the final stages of cabin fever.
By the time Ian got home, Caleb has slept an additional eight hours that day and had rebounded considerably. But it would not have been a good idea to "share the love" at the party, so I sent he and the girls on and had a quiet date night with my little guy.
It wasn't much. We picked up stir-fried thick noodles and won-ton soup from a local Shanghainese restaurant, popped in his Mater's Tall Tales DVD, and enjoyed a meal on the couch while using his Mater the Greater toys as props while we enjoyed the movie.
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| notice "high dive mater" in his hand... |
Anyone out there with more than one little one have suggestions on how to create quality time with your kids individually? We've taken back family night, this year one on one time with each of our kids is high priority.
Oh, and don't you worry. Ian and the girls were home in plenty of time to get them bathed, in bed, and then for Ian and I to doze off on the couch waiting for the ball to drop.
6 comments:
It is so hard I have plenty of time with Makenna while the older kids are at school. It is very hard to be able to spend time with Josh and Kayla without Makenna...
I understand. :0) And I pray you find what 'fits' to make each child feel as special as they are. :0) Still trying to get there with our 14 and 2 year old at home, and get school done in a timely manner. Love you all!!! And can't wait to meet sweet Daniel. :0) (.21-+-+>from Emma)
Poor pumpkin! Glad you had some time with just him though. I'm already wondering how to juggle time with each child alone and baby #2 isn't even here yet!
glad caleb is feeling better! :)
I got a day alone with Lydia today. I marveled at how calm she is 1-on-1. I also paid much more attention to her speech and realized we have a long way to go. She talked so much more without her "translator" who is always hogging the mic!
Poor Caleb. You know he is sick when he just lays down on his own.
Sorry you two missed the party with Ian and the girls but understand that the time alone with Caleb was special.
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