Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Great Expectations and other fantasies


(Picture: lovedaylemon)


Thank you so much for your encouraging comments on my last post. It's so cool to send something out on the web and have other people respond; it makes my day!! Thank you!

My mind has been racing making plans for the time S and C come stay with us.

I have such GREAT expectations for their time in our home. Here is a list of what I want to do:

-Set up routines: morning, after school, bedtime

-Cook together

-Let them choose a couple recipes each month to make.

-Give them household responsibilities appropriate for their ages (5 and 7).

-Read aloud a chapter per day from a chapter book most days of the week.

-Read them a bedtime story each night.

-Watch very little tv.

-Pray with them everyday.

-Learn about God every day.

-Feed them healthy foods for the majority of their meals with us (I'm expecting there to be a pizza night or two...or three).

-Engage them in some sort of physical activity most days of the week--walks around town, trips to the park, tossing a ball around...got any ideas for me??

-Encourage their creativity and their desire to learn (this is a bit vague...I need some concrete strategies).

-Listen to them.

-Chill out and enjoy them.

I feel somewhat hesitant to share all this with anyone because I hear parents so often say things like, "You'll see when you have kids of your own, " and giving the impression that its foolish to have expectations of doing much more than shoving food in mouths and playing chauffeur. I don't want to resign myself to the idea that there will be no time to have fun (like the kids in the picture above are having)!

Do I need a reality check? Do you have some advice or wisdom regarding day-to-day life with kids? I need it!!

5 comments:

Jenny said...

You are on the right track but do no expect your routines to fall right into place. Ask your mother in law what and how things happened in their house since this will be a transition for them and it will be better for them to not change EVERYTHING all at once. They will need time to adjust to your schedule and you to theirs and then you can adjust as you need! Don't knock pizza every night ;>) hehehe! You can make veggie pizzas, fruit pizzas, lots of fun!! Just make sure you don't overwhelm yourself! The best thing to remember with kids is to LOVE THEM, all the other stuff will work out!

Kasey said...

I'm just getting caught up...
sounds like you will have your hands full...
but it's going to be beautiful.
{just don't leave them outside of a market while you "run" in to grab some wine...}
xo

Nana Time said...

You CAN do it....Gabby does all of those things (except maybe the having them cook)

The MAIN THING is love them and teach them about God's love.

Remember to keep THE MAIN THING the MAIN THING :)

adozeneggs said...

It sounds like you've got a great plan, and as someone looking forward to a child sometime in the future, your plans are similar to mine.
I wanted to let you know my package arrived today and I LOVE everything!!
I'm posting about it tomorrow.

Unknown said...

well you know i don't have kids but i have lots of experience with them.

1. don't let others tell you things like "wait til you have kids" because I think those people just plain don't try hard enough with their own.

2. stick with your last statement! it is a good one.

3. call me when you need a break! don't try to do it all and know that you have help any time you need it!

LOVE YOU!