Multiple questions: activities, cleaning, shoes

[LVG]

I have many questions, so here they are:
1. What do you have your younger kids do when the older ones are having school time. My DS in particular wants to do the older kids activities but usually just ends up with a mess that I am frankly, tired of cleaning up. What easy, mess free, activities could I sit him down to do while I work with the others...and yes there are other younger kids to play with that independently play during this time, but he wants to be with me doing the older kid things. He is typically rummaging in my craft bag, eating glue, ripping paper, crawling on the table...he is just a handful!! Any tips on good activities??
2. OMG with the cleaning I do!! I am about tired of doing dishes, laundry, vacuuming, mopping every single day! I know it has to be done, but good grief! I am exausted by 12 with aching feet from all the chores! I will say the kids are doing well with cleaning their toys up after lunch, but getting them to clean as they play seems like a battle I will never win. The toys are not the main issue though, it's all the other mess. Any tips on how to make it feel more manageable??
3. Shoes...what kind do you all wear that you find are the most comfortable? I have corns and calluses on both feet from apparently wearing bad shoes, and wearing no shoes makes my feet even worse! Any shoe recommendations?

[Ariana]

It's tough for sure! When I transferred from a centre to my home that was the biggest annoyance...all the cooking and cleaning! Get the older kids to help as much as possible and if they give grief about cleaning up a toy when finished with it they lose privileges with that toy ( this would be for older kids, toddlers are not going to full get it without guidance and consistency).

As for shoes, I love crocs. So ugly but oh so comfy ::

[butterfly]

1. all my kids participate in our activities if they choose to. (ages 0-6) If your DS really wants to participate, than I would let him. I may put him in a booster with straps (if that is allowed in your area) just to keep him from crawling the table and keep him safely seated. but I would give him the same materials and allow him to create as well. If it's something truly messy that you'd rather not deal with, then I would hand him something else appropriate for his age to work on. if it's wooden building blocks, or crayons and paper, etc. (I'm not sure if you mentioned how old your DS is?)

2. cleaning - I actually enjoy cleaning, so typically I'm not bothered by these tasks, but I do have the oldest ones take turns helping me with different tasks. Things like setting up/taking down cots for nap time, taking plates and cups to the kitchen after meals, I even give the kids a wash cloth to wipe down toys, they help me move chairs/tables so I can sweep under them, hand out craft materials and aprons to the other children, etc. etc. anything a child can do, I have them do and I announce to the group that they are my special helper for that task. Everyone fights over who gets to be my special helper. :: and they beam with pride when I make a big deal out of what a great job they did at the given task.

3. no help here. I don't wear shoes. I like to be barefoot. I have a no shoe policy for me and the children. The parents may leave on their shoes if they stay on my rug. I don't like the dirt that shoes bring in and I don't like littles getting fingers stepped on with shoes, etc.

[NoMoreJuice!]

There are tons of busy ideas on pinterest! I'd recommend putting together a box of busy toys to only be used during school time. This will make the toys seem really special if they only get them one hour a day, or each toy once a week if you rotate them. One of the favorites is this: take a bunch of random colors of pipe cleaners, cut them into 1 inch or so pieces, then put them all in a clean, empty 2 liter bottle with the label removed. Then I seal the cap, give the kids a magnet, and they sit for hours moving the pipe cleaners around the bottle with the magnet! So fun!

As far as dishes, the use of the crock pot and freezer meals for lunchtime has saved me! I make one huge mess on a weekend making it all, then for weeks I have no almost no dishes to do. I especially love making one giant crock pot of chicken breast on a Monday(just add chicken and a few cans of cream of whatever-you-like), then using it for chicken pasta, chicken quesadillas, etc.

The cleaning...I don't have a magic formula. I think we all just try to keep our heads above water with this one.

I LOVE my Saucony walking/running shoes!

[butterfly]

and welcome to the forum!

[NoMoreJuice!]

and welcome to the forum!

ditto!

[Second Home]

As for shoes, I love crocs. So ugly but oh so comfy ::

I also wear crocs , I always hated them until I got a pair . I use them like indoor slippers . My son just got me a new fleece lined pair for Christmas .

[LVG]

Thanks everyone!

1. DS is 2 ( turned 2 last week), but just gets into everything and enjoys doing the opposite of what I say...example: don't eat the glue...eats the glue😁. I definitely will check out pintrest...I use it a lot, but I guess I just need to buckle down and actually create some of the activities. I have tried the exact activity you mentioned with the magnet and bottle...he was over in in minutes:/ I do often let him do what we are doing, but it doesn't hold his attention long enough and before I know it he is taunting someone trying to steal their work, into my stuff, etc. He is definitely a very take charge kid that is going to really take some time to train.

2. I am always in search of ways to simplify life to cut down the cleaning. I actually don't mind it, but my feet are so tired and just want to rest that I hate doing it:/. Hence the shoe question! I think other than hiring a cleaning lady there isn't much else I can do. I do like the crockpot idea...I think that will be my next post! I am a terrible cook! I always feed he kids the same old stuff, and then I get into a kick of wanting to do healthy "real" meals...like I am doing this week and get so burned out that we go right back to the same old stuff.

3. I will look into both shoes! I have crocs, but they are the Mary jane kind and rub my feet and cause blisters:/. I think the ugly ones would be better.

Thanks for welcoming me! I have had my daycare for a year now and I am part of another mommy forum, but they are not daycare providers so I was happy to find this one with moms that can relate I taught school before this and I am used to kids all the same age and older (4th and 5th grade) so this has been an adjustment.