Have I mentioned how much I enjoyed my mom's visit? She was here for three weeks, and she and Ladybug (2.5 years old) had so much fun together. It was great to have a built-in babysitter too. Hubby and I had a double date with friends and a date by ourselves while she was here. I had a girlfriends' lunch, got my hair cut, and was able to get errands done by myself.
We also got a lot of projects done around the house. Having an extra pair of hands and eyes was wonderful!
Even though it's been 30+ years since my mom has had a toddler of her own, she's definitely a natural. It was amazing to watch her interact with Ladybug. And my mom had this magical ability to get work done while keeping the toddler entertained! When I realized she had this ability, I spent a lot of time observing her with Ladybug so that I could maybe learn this skill.
Here is what I learned:
1. My mom encouraged parallel play. If Grammy was cooking, then Ladybug was "cooking." If Grammy was raking, they "shared" the rake. Kids want to be just like there parents and older siblings - let them do what you are doing!
(Ladybug "helping" Grammy rake and bag leaves)
(Ladybug "helping" Grammy rake and bag leaves)2. If Ladybug wasn't interested in mimicking what Grammy was doing, my mom had a ready arsenal of activities to keep her occupied. A new activity that was a big hit was play dough! Grammy made animals that kept Ladybug enthralled. (We have now let those play dough animals dry out so that Ladybug can play with them. And we have purchased new play dough.)
(Ladybug enjoying play dough)3. Often, Grammy gave Ladybug her undivided attention for 15-20 minutes before she needed to do something else that required her attention.
4. And the most important observation I made was that my mom kept an easy-going attitude. If Ladybug made a mess while "helping," Grammy said, "Oh well," and cleaned up.
Yes, these are all things that I *know* that I should do, but in the normal course of being a wife, a mom, and a domestic engineer, along with all of the other hats that I wear, it's easy to forget. Thanks for the reminder, Mom!
GOOD stuff here! Parallel play is a great idea - and the playdoh animals - genius! Thanks for the inspiration today!
ReplyDeleteYou've got an awesome mother! Thanks for sharing her wisdom. I'm going to be more mindful about giving undivided attention first instead of trying to do something and THEN be w/kids. It's too easy to get my priorities backwards. :blush:
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Ladybug has a fantastic grandma! Thanks for all the tips. Like you, these are things we know we should do, but it's hard to put them into practice when you're stressed and frazzled.
ReplyDeletegotta love Grannys! they make it look so easy. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, grandparents can be a great resource. Sounds like you had a terrific visit.
ReplyDeleteI love this post! It seems like so many parents these days feel like they have to play toys with their kids to be engaged with them, but I think kids would just as happy to do what the adults are doing than play with barbies. Plus, you can actually get stuff done!
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