Hi everyone
Am looking for some pointers after a long sressful dy yesterday. Had some after school children for the full day due to their school being closed and whether it was the exitement of not going to school or what but they were high as kites all day and into everything. I also had an 18 month old, a 10 month old and a 3 year old and I think I spent the whole day running about after the older two. I thought I would be organised and have little cards ready for them to make xmas cards - that was fine and lsted for all of 15 mins where the mess was unbeleievalbe. #Got them to tidy it away (most of) as they said were finished went off to play with some toys (emptied all the aby toys everywhere) asked to make more cards, spotted the decoration kits we were going to make so asked for them, done that, 1 of themput two bits of glitter on one and said "I'm finished". Went through an argument of who wanted to play lay station, wouldn't eat lunch when made it then kept asking for food - then . . . the biggy. Asked for hamma beads so I set them up a place in the hall out the road of the one baby left by this time and they scattered hundreds of them on the floor. Told them they had lost their stickers for the day and to pick them up, told them the hazards left them to tidy, checked again and they were actually throwin them at each other! Needless to say they are now banned. Had already given them time out earlier - first time I have had to do it and am now wondering how today will be with half day at school.
My hubby suggested making set times for arts and crafts etc which I normally do but usually one doesn't want to do it - he goes and plays ps2 for little while then sometimes decides he will join in, by which time the others are nearly finished and goaway to pull out toys and there is mess everywhere. What do I do? I feelby telling them they either do this or that at a set time and if they don't want to do it they can read a book, do a jigsaw, something that doesn't need my attention is restricting their choices?
What do you all do? Yesterday I just felt the wee ones esp my son was't etting any attention and that's really not fair, th only attention they got was getting nappies changed, feeding etc, even then was getting asked "When can you get this?", "When can we do that?" "Are you ready yet?"
Advice greatly appreciated.
Tracey
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