terrydoo73
18-08-2010, 09:08 PM
I have twin mindees aged 2 1/2 who come to me from 8 to 6 3 days a week. They are really full on at times and I struggle to get them settled to play with toys. I have discovered that if I do nothing but stay with them just observing or joining in play they are easier to work with.
Hubby was in the house today feeling a bit tired and just relaxing generally (he is my assistant). It was near the end of the day ie 4 pm. Now the twins had woken from their 1 1/2 hour sleep at 2.30 and it was raining outside so I couldn't give them the freedom of running around. It raised a problem which I dread facing come September again - what to do before they go home. Hubby noticed something which I have continually worried about. Come 4.00 every day the mindees just seem to be on a destructive mood - more of my house than toys! My hubby got quite annoyed today - I have an extending fireplace guard and they managed to remove the extension part before either of us got to them! Then they started into the wallpaper, next it was the cover of the table. Both of us were there the whole time and they do these things so quickly that it surprised us!
What could I offer to play with them at this time of the day? Bear in mind that my daughter will be coming in from school at 3.45 and needs about 1 hour to get homework done. During this time I would put on a DVD for the twins in the livingroom which seems to settle them for a while but ... what else could I do with them to keep them settled? I have had to close up my playroom at this time of the day because it is a case of bringing every toy out just for the sake of it and I do not really want to spend time running around tidying up after them!
Hubby was in the house today feeling a bit tired and just relaxing generally (he is my assistant). It was near the end of the day ie 4 pm. Now the twins had woken from their 1 1/2 hour sleep at 2.30 and it was raining outside so I couldn't give them the freedom of running around. It raised a problem which I dread facing come September again - what to do before they go home. Hubby noticed something which I have continually worried about. Come 4.00 every day the mindees just seem to be on a destructive mood - more of my house than toys! My hubby got quite annoyed today - I have an extending fireplace guard and they managed to remove the extension part before either of us got to them! Then they started into the wallpaper, next it was the cover of the table. Both of us were there the whole time and they do these things so quickly that it surprised us!
What could I offer to play with them at this time of the day? Bear in mind that my daughter will be coming in from school at 3.45 and needs about 1 hour to get homework done. During this time I would put on a DVD for the twins in the livingroom which seems to settle them for a while but ... what else could I do with them to keep them settled? I have had to close up my playroom at this time of the day because it is a case of bringing every toy out just for the sake of it and I do not really want to spend time running around tidying up after them!