This week was the week to get back to it – with the security of a job that I love and a pay-cheque I can rely on, it is time to not only make the gym a regular place to visit but also get back to regular posting and commenting.
Such naïve thoughts.
I was ambushed last Thursday by dad’s decision to pitch in and help our neighbour by babysitting her kids (who, for the record are not babies) between their after-school ‘sitter and their mum getting home from work.
I note a lack of consultation with bex in this and I will give you three guesses about who in this place is doing the majoring of the babysitting of the kids.
Yep. You got it – me.
Yikes!
So, no time for the gym, either rushing home to make a dinner that we can all, if not agree on but enjoy, or rushing to do the pick-up from the ‘sitter’s place.
I’m still trying to figure out how I got roped into this…
Last Friday, I declared Friday as “Treat Night”, so we had pizza for dinner and rented a movie and even got a bowl of caramel corn each! Lucky for me, just as the movie was starting my friend phoned and we stayed on the phone for exactly the length of the movie! It was awesome, the kiddos were quiet, well-behaved and I didn’t have to sit through a horrible movie. Go me. (And thanks again to my friend who called, you know who you are!)
So last week-end I did some thinking.
First, I have to tell you that out of houses that suck for kids, our house ranks in the top ten. Our furniture is old and easily scratched, three adults live here so it isn’t like we have toys around or other kids to play with. Some of the furniture is antique and not for playing around and the house is such that any room that is even remotely good for playing in is also remote from the main action in the house.
So, how to keep the kids out of trouble and avoid nights and nights and nights of watching TV?
Time to set down some rules.
So, brief discussion about rules with dad – washing hands, going into other rooms, watching TV and how to behave in general. Then, meal planning, ‘cuz believe it or not, kids don’t have the same sort of adventurous spirit as these adult. Which is fine, I was a pickier eater when I was kid too…just not super picky. So, some kid-friendly fare is on the menu.
Then, a couple of things to keep TV to a minimum. Thursday night I planned for the library and Friday night…well, a Halloween-themed event. First idea was to do costumes, but you know what? I can barely think of a good costume for myself, never mind other people!
Soooo.
Monday came and I was prepared. Except for missing a post reviewing “Real Steel” that I saw on Sunday – I loved it, robots boxing! And dancing! And Hugh Jackman!
Spaghetti for dinner and we manage to convince the little boy to “just try” the crust of the garlic bread – surprise! He likes it with some spaghetti and sauce and on it! No one was more surprised than him.
My plans for Friday begin.
We have left-overs for dinner on Tuesday and there is barely enough for everyone, not sure why dad thought I wasn’t having dinner, but there you go.
Wednesday night after dinner has me making cookie dough in prep for Friday.
Finished baking them on Thursday and made another huge batch of a different kind of cookie.
Also got the library earlier as well – they had never been before! Can you imagine. Ok, they each got a couple of books that they can leave here to read when they are done homework and instead of watching TV. It also keeps them kind of quiet.
Tonight we decorated the cookies, you can check out the destruction on the Flickr account, we did a pretty good job of making a mess and they were pretty thrilled about it – especially the little girl. Her bro was super grumpy today and you know, I get it, missing your mum and being tired and all that…I get it. And you know what, I’m old school, when a kid is crying about something like that, that you can’t change and no one can change, I figure, cry it out and be done with it. I’m not unsympathetic, I just…listen there is so much that is frustrating at that age. At any age, that sometimes you have to get it out and be done with it, move on and find something else. Everyone saying “there, there” isn’t a huge help and pointing out behaviours or problems that are undesirable is just useless.
Sorry, but that is how I think.
I thought today was the last day of babysitting.
Surprise again. We get to keep going until November 19 – Monday to Friday. But you know, something needs to change again. And I need to get back to the gym.
At least I’m here, now.
