Retraining Them To The Outside Rules...

[SilverSabre25]

actually I guess it's training them in the first place...only two of my dcks were here last summer and one was an infant at the time. My dcks are all between 18 months and 2.9 years, plus my 3.5 yo DD.

Waiting in line to use the slide and roller coaster. Not jumping onto the slide. not jumping OFF the slide. What waiting in line actually means. Don't you dare open the gate. Wait by the gate. What waiting actually means. They're not ALL your balls. Go get your cup so we can go inside...no, go GET your cup...no, get the cup first THEN come line up...bring your cup with you!

Ugh...it felt like my usually very well-behaved group was a group of uncivilized barbarians who had never seen a toy or another creature before. And now that we're back inside so I can get lunch...they seem to have forgotten all the inside rules too!

What a nightmare. It's going to be an interesting transition to summer time. Bleh.

[SandeeAR]

Sorry your morning has been rough. I was just thinking a few minutes ago, how nice it is to be outside again. My 4 are all playing nice and I'm at the table with my NEW laptop!!!! The screen died on the other one. Plus the battery was dead, so I could only use it inside plugged in.

Almost 3 y/o is playing on the swing and sand box, 16 mo, is playing in the pine needles, 12 mo, is crawling around following them and 8 mo, is content in the saucer. Gonna be another good nap time today!!!!

[cheerfuldom]

They'll get it after awhile but yes, it is so exhausting sometimes to retrain. I get tired of hearing my own voice some days.

[PitterPatter]

Sorry your morning has been rough. I was just thinking a few minutes ago, how nice it is to be outside again. My 4 are all playing nice and I'm at the table with my NEW laptop!!!! The screen died on the other one. Plus the battery was dead, so I could only use it inside plugged in.

Almost 3 y/o is playing on the swing and sand box, 16 mo, is playing in the pine needles, 12 mo, is crawling around following them and 8 mo, is content in the saucer. Gonna be another good nap time today!!!!

This is the perfect time for me to ask, if u don't mind that is.

What do u tell passers by who may make a comment to u about you attending to the kids? If it ever has happened to u that is.

Every summer when we have outside time I divide it in 2 phases. 1/2 where I use the toys and things with them showing them how to share or just showing them how to do things in general, kites etc. The 2nd 1/2 I sit down in a chair on the patio and just watch them. I might write out a lesson plan or grocery list etc as I sit there. There is a lady that walks past my house every day at the same time, just walks by to get exersize I assume. At the end of the summer she stopped and asked if I just allowed the children to entertain themselves all day or if I actually interacted with the children once inside. I found it more of a "what are u doing sitting on your butt" kinda question. I explained children need time to discover and just do things on their own and that I do follow a general curriculum on a daily basis. She smiled and said oh that's nice and continued on her way. It just made me wonder how many other people think I just sit on my butt all day.

[momofsix]

[QUOTE=Tygerluv;101913]This is the perfect time for me to ask, if u don't mind that is.

What do u tell passers by who may make a comment to u about you attending to the kids? If it ever has happened to u that is.

Every summer when we have outside time I divide it in 2 phases. 1/2 where I use the toys and things with them showing them how to share or just showing them how to do things in general, kites etc. The 2nd 1/2 I sit down in a chair on the patio and just watch them. I might write out a lesson plan or grocery list etc as I sit there. There is a lady that walks past my house every day at the same time, just walks by to get exersize I assume. At the end of the summer she stopped and asked if I just allowed the children to entertain themselves all day or if I actually interacted with the children once inside. I found it more of a "what are u doing sitting on your butt" kinda question. I explained children need time to discover and just do things on their own and that I do follow a general curriculum on a daily basis. She smiled and said oh that's nice and continued on her way. It just made me wonder how many other people think I just sit on my butt all day.[/QUOTE]

Most people think that's what we do all day! That or PLAY!

[SandeeAR]

This is the perfect time for me to ask, if u don't mind that is.

What do u tell passers by who may make a comment to u about you attending to the kids? If it ever has happened to u that is.

Every summer when we have outside time I divide it in 2 phases. 1/2 where I use the toys and things with them showing them how to share or just showing them how to do things in general, kites etc. The 2nd 1/2 I sit down in a chair on the patio and just watch them. I might write out a lesson plan or grocery list etc as I sit there. There is a lady that walks past my house every day at the same time, just walks by to get exersize I assume. At the end of the summer she stopped and asked if I just allowed the children to entertain themselves all day or if I actually interacted with the children once inside. I found it more of a "what are u doing sitting on your butt" kinda question. I explained children need time to discover and just do things on their own and that I do follow a general curriculum on a daily basis. She smiled and said oh that's nice and continued on her way. It just made me wonder how many other people think I just sit on my butt all day.

I interact sometimes on the inside. Outside, they totally free play. I interact in the way of the following, during the 1 we were outside. Pushed one on the swing, pulled the 8 month out of the grass (also from eating it), and back on to the blanket at least 20 times, taught the 16 mo old he couldn't take the 12 mo old's toys, around 8 times, rescued the 12 mo, from positions she couldn't get out of (she isn't walking yet), chased a bumble bee off 3 times, gave the 8 mo old a bottle, pushed the 16 mo, around the yard 3 or 4 times in the car with the handle, changes the 3 y/o diaper, put the sock and shoe back on the 8 mo old twice. I can't remember anything else, oh and I also got on Daycare.com and facebook in between doing all those things in a hour.

As for answering a passerby, we are in a fenced backyard, so no one walking by. I don't remember being "entertained" when I was little and playing outside. In fact I rarely remember, my Mother, how was a SAHM of the 60's, even being outside with my brother and I.

[PitterPatter]

I interact sometimes on the inside. Outside, they totally free play. I interact in the way of the following, during the 1 we were outside. Pushed one on the swing, pulled the 8 month out of the grass (also from eating it), and back on to the blanket at least 20 times, taught the 16 mo old he couldn't take the 12 mo old's toys, around 8 times, rescued the 12 mo, from positions she couldn't get out of (she isn't walking yet), chased a bumble bee off 3 times, gave the 8 mo old a bottle, pushed the 16 mo, around the yard 3 or 4 times in the car with the handle, changes the 3 y/o diaper, put the sock and shoe back on the 8 mo old twice. I can't remember anything else, oh and I also got on Daycare.com and facebook in between doing all those things in a hour.

As for answering a passerby, we are in a fenced backyard, so no one walking by. I don't remember being "entertained" when I was little and playing outside. In fact I rarely remember, my Mother, how was a SAHM of the 60's, even being outside with my brother and I.

That's what I need a privacy fence type. Mine is all chain link around the whole yard, no privacy here AND I am next to a public walking/biking trail
so we see a lot of traffic in the summer.

[SandeeAR]

That's what I need a privacy fence type. Mine is all chain link around the whole yard, no privacy here AND I am next to a public walking/biking trail
so we see a lot of traffic in the summer.

I have privacy on one side chain link on two. I'm not trying to hide anything, I maybe on the computer or on my iphone when the parents show up to the backyard to pick them up. By 5-5:30, I'm READY for a break! I know these parents don't play non stop with the kiddo at home. Why should we be expected to entertain them all day? They NEED time to just be a kid and figure out kid things.

I watched the 3 y/o pick up sticks, pine cones and pine needles today, go put them on the bottom of the carriage looking part of the swing set. I haven't a clue what she was doing, but she did it for 30 minutes. She was very into it

[Meyou]

I would tell them my eyes are busy....VERY BUSY even if my sitting butt isn't!

[cherryhill]

Sounds like everyday here. All they do is fight and "mine" this stage ****s but they all just turned two and one will be two in a few months.