Questions from Moms: Can You Help?

January 22, 2008

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This week I got a couple of questions from subscribers and thought I would post them here to see if you smart ladies had any advice.

The first is from a subscriber to my newsletter about limiting TV. She asks:

Dear Carrie,

We are doing well with our now much limited use of TV (I would say at the most 3hrs a week total). 

However, I am really struggling with things to do with my almost three year old son.  My girls are doing well.  They are 8 and 6 and they are being more creative, pulling out all kinds of toys rarely played with, going outside more and generally living life more. 

But my son is the hard one.  Also, I find I’m not getting any housework done because I’m having to entertain my kids so much.  Our house is staying a wreck most of the time and I’m struggling with this aspect.  Help!!!!!!!!!!  Do you have any solutions?

Thanks,
Mom R
 

I totally understand this problem! It’s definitely an issue with kids around 3 and 4. One thing I’ve done that helps is to keep a large box (at their level so they can get it themselves) in the kitchen full of art materials: paper, colored pencils, crayons, stickers, watercolors, coloring books, paper dolls, etc. My 4 year old gravitates to it several times a day as does the 2 year old.

Some other activities that he could do by himself that come to mind are: playing with wooden blocks, train sets or Lego type toys, doing easy chores (he could help you work, I find that mine loved to help at that age but would also lose interest quickly, giving me a few minutes to finish up), cutting old magazines with safety scissors (my 2 year old loves to look through old parenting magazines and pick out all the babies), easy puzzles… I’m sure you could come up with a list if you brainstorm, and suggest something for him to do when he’s bored.

I can’t (nor would I want to, even if I didn’t have other responsibilities) spend all day playing with my kids. I think it’s important for kids to learn to entertain themselves for a part of the day even when they’re younger.

So I encourage mine to get involved in activities that are age appropriate. Sometimes it takes a little nudging. I kick them out encourage mine to go outside a couple of times a day if it’s pleasant, and once if it isn’t pleasant. LOL! That may or may not be possible for you depending on your living situation. It’s safe for me to turn mine loose outside where I live.

Can you encourage the older kids to involve the little one in their play? I know sometimes that’s hard, but I’m not above paying my oldest son .50 to swing the baby outside so I can get some pressing task accomplished.

Also, it will get easier. The youngest will adjust to not being entertained so much by you or some external stimuli.

The second email is from a Mom who wants to find a safer crib for her baby. She writes:

Hi Carrie,

Can you tell me where I would find a solid wood crib that is unfinished, or is finished using natural products? It seems there are lots of companies that claim to be non-toxic, but the U.S. regulations for this aren’t great to begin with so I don’t really trust it.

Thanks!
Mama B

I didn’t have much advice for her because I never had a crib, my babies coslept. But I’m quite sure there are companies that produce baby furniture made from sustainable goods and that are non toxic. I suggested she look for companies online and call their 800 number to do some more detective work.

Do you know of a specific resource for her?

Thanks for the input Moms! :-)

Posted by carrie | Filed Under Misc, Moms helping Moms 

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Comments

One Response to “Questions from Moms: Can You Help?”

  1. Alicia on January 30th, 2008 9:45 pm

    I know they have a natural crib at http://www.littlefornow.com I don’t personally own or anything. I just noticed it on this site the other day.

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