If my children end up in some sibling folk-rock-fusion band in their teens, I’m so bringing out this photo.  At the tender age of 4 my daughter already writes some very creative lyrics.  And my son has fantastic rhythm, not that I’m biased in any way.  I recorded them both singing and playing during an impromptu lounge room concert recently, but I’ll save that footage for now.  It could come in handy down the track…!

Is music played in your home?

PS – Speaking of music, have you entered my Justine Clarke giveaway yet? Click here to read my interview with Justine and leave a comment to enter!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the times we don’t let kids play outside.  Most schools here in Australia have a wet weather policy, and children stay inside during rainy lunch times.  At home I can, and do, let my kids play in the rain as you will know if you’ve read a few posts!  In some areas schools also have hot weather policies.  I remember when I was a child that if the temperature went over a certain point schools allowed kids to run through the sprinklers on the oval!  Sadly this is no longer common practice, due to stricter rules in schools and water restrictions in some states.

This week though, it’s cold weather I’m thinking about.  We are in mid-winter, and though skies are big and blue, the temperature does drop in the mornings and evenings.  In the past I have kept the kids inside until the day warms up, then let them out to play.  But lately I have been questioning myself – thanks mostly to reading blogs about early childhood programs in really cold parts of the world.  (You have to jump over and read this post at Living in the Land of Chocolate, and you might also want to check out Active Kids Club.)

I don’t think we can expect children to tolerate extremes of temperature they are not accustomed to, but I do think they should be able to enjoy outside time in their home climate.  For my kids, temperatures range from about 10 degrees celsius in winter, through to around 35 degrees in summer.  When it rains it really rains, and we often get afternoon thunderstorms in summer.  Winter play means wearing lots of layers.  The days start chilly, but do warm up and beanies need to be replaced with sunhats.  What it doesn’t mean is staying inside with the heater on.  Summer play means sunscreen, hats and sun-safe clothing.  It also means drinking plenty of water, and playing out of the sun during the hottest times.  What it doesn’t mean is staying inside with the airconditioning on!  Ok, yes there are days when I use the heater in winter, and the air con in summer – but we don’t stay trapped inside and I always find the kids have more fun outside.

So this morning, I’m blogging outside while my kids play and the three of us are rugged up in beanies, skivvies, jumpers and boots.  There’s hardly a cloud in the enormous blue sky and I am reminded that in some parts of the world this is summer!  Time to put the kettle on, make us all a nice warm drink to wrap our cold fingers around, and enjoy it under the trees together.

As I write this post I have two sleeping kids – in their BEDS.  We dismantled the cot today, and my not-so-baby-boy is fast asleep in his big boy bed.  So far so good.  The only sound I’ve heard is snoring!

We talked a lot about the transition, so he was very well prepared for the move and very excited about it all.  He loves his new jungle quilt and striped sheets, he loves climbing up and down himself, and he just loved introducing his much loved bear to their new abode!  The first thing they did was lie down on the big new pillow together and pretend to sleep, then shout “Wake up!” and do it all over again.  Too cute.

To help with a smooth transition we also kept routine as normal as possible.  The bathtime-teethtime-storytime-prayertime-cuddletime-sleeptime routine is well established for both kids.  So tonight, everything was the same as normal, except that we had stories together on his new bed.

I was hoping we might be able to ditch the dummy with the cot.  I did give it a try but conceded defeat, as in all honesty it’s another familiarity which will aid the transition.  I guess he’ll give the dummy up when he’s ready.  Right??

I must admit I had a little sentimental moment today.  As we packed the cot away I realised that we are probably through the “baby phase” and are onto a new stage as a family.  I’m not sad really.  I love seeing my kids grow and change and embrace new things.  It’s just that they grow so fast.

I think I’ll go and check him one more time before I turn in myself.  It’s funny how he seems such a big boy in his bed, yet at the same time still so very little with all those covers around him!

As expected, she is absolutely loving it.  Here are some things she has been learning about while playing with her camera both indoors and out:

1.  Keep the lanyard around your neck.

2.  Smile, whether you’re in front or behind the camera.

3.  Keep your fingers away from the lens.

4.  Sometimes you need to try a different position to get the shot you want.

5.  Things look different up close.

6. Creative shots take time and thought.

7.  Keep your hands steady.

8.  Little brothers don’t stay still for long!

]]> http://squigglemum.com/activities/activities-indoor/toying-with-cameras/feed/ 18 http://squigglemum.com/kids/sibling-love/ http://squigglemum.com/kids/sibling-love/#comments Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:26:52 +0000 SquiggleMum http://squigglemum.com/?p=3385 I grew up with one sister.  There were times during our childhood when we were close, and I have many fond memories.  But, there were also times when sibling rivalry put us on opposing teams.  Of course, we both grew up eventually, and these days my sister is one of my closest friends.  She’s a fabulous aunty and I’m so blessed to have her in my life.  (Sis if you’re reading this stop sniffling…)

I would dearly love for my children to be friends when they grow up.  I would love them to be there for each other.  I would love them to have each other’s number on speed dial!  My question is… what can I do as a mother to foster a healthy relationship between them? And I’m also wondering, is sibling rivalry just par for the course, or can it be avoided?

I pounce on those special moments when I see one child being especially kind or thoughtful to the other.  My son, thought not yet even 2, is so generous and kind hearted.  If he gets his own drinkbottle, he’ll get his sister’s too and take it over to her.  He’ll even share his favourite foods with her!  And my big girl is learning to be so encouraging with her words when she sees her brother successfully attempting something. Those moments are worth taking the time to praise because they are about building character.

In some ways I think competition is inevitable, and it isn’t necessarily bad.  Rather than trying to avoid competitiveness between my kids, I am instead training them in how to deal with it.  For example, there is a simple spotting game we play in the car.  Using that simple game (which both kids are good at!) I have the opportunity to model winning and losing behaviour.  When we win, we don’t boast about it.  When we lose, we don’t let it get us down and we are really happy for the person who won.

I’d love to hear from you on this one.  Are you friends with your adult siblings?  What do you do in your home with your own children to promote sibling love, rather than sibling rivalry?  If you have older kids I’d especially love your thoughts on what you have tried, and how successful it has been.

PS – if you happen to have a sister who is a great aunty to your kids, make sure you make some fuss of her on Savvy Auntie Day, 25th July.

(KT Tunstall – Suddenly I See)

I couldn’t go past these shoes for my daughter.  The sturdy soles make them practical, and they are completely covered in silver sequins.  They were also the grand sum of $12, and you all know I like to shop on a budget.  You should see how they sparkle when my girl walks in the sunshine!  The sequins cast little sparkling reflections on the ground, and everything around her is a silver pool of light. She looks down and smiles, and her smile makes her face sparkle too.  And of course, my sparkly girl makes me smile too.

I could use a pair of shoes like that.  (Actually, I really would love a pair if they came in my size.)  We all need a little sparkle in our lives!  What makes you shine?  What makes you feel good about yourself?  What puts a spring in your step and a smile on your face?

Being a mum is hard work, and is often far from glamorous.  I think it’s important for each of us to find what helps us to shine.  It might something as simple as a pair of shoes, or it might be something deeper and more profound.  (Think I need both myself…)  When you find what makes you sparkle, you’ll not only feel better about yourself, but the people who surround you will feel the benefit of it.

Shine on.

I loved watching my daughter take her knowledge of swings inside this week.  While her brother was napping I suggested she create something with a cereal box.  Look at what she came up with!  She did all the cutting herself, and punched the holes for the string.  I needed to tie the string on for her, and loop it over the curtain rod.

She was thrilled about pushing Buckingham (the teddy her Daddy bought for her while I was still pregnant with her… awww) but soon discovered a problem.  He fell out easily after one or two pushes.  I asked her how she would like to solve that problem, and she came up with a safety bar which you can see her attaching in the photo.

I love looking for opportunities to encourage independent problem solving through play.  I could have told her what we were going to make with the box.  I could have fixed the problem with the bear falling out.  I could have done a lot of things for her, but where would the learning be in that?

(PS – have you entered my Hi-5 Giveaway? Super easy to enter… 3 DVDs to be won!)

In the rain we love

• seeing how water changes the colours of rocks and bark
• collecting bucketfuls of water
• stomping and sloshing in gumboots
• listening to rain on our raincoats
• catching rainwater in our hands and on our tongues!
• seeking refuge under trees
• reading the signs in nature around us…

Ok, so I know you’re scratching your head on that last one!  Usually we don’t get long days of constant rain (though they do happen).  Here in Brisbane, we are more likely to get rainy patches that come and go.  I try to teach the kids to be observant.  We pay attention to the sky:  What do the clouds look like?  Which way are the clouds going?  Do we think those clouds have heavy rain in them?  How many minutes until it rains again? I also teach the kids to take note of the creatures around them.  Can we hear any birds at the moment?  What do you think the birds are telling us?  (Usually the birds are quiet when it is raining, but we hear them start up again when the rain has almost passed. )  Can you see any insects?  Are they going into their homes or coming out of them?

Asking these kinds of questions helps with the development of thinking skills, observation and making predictions.  I also hope it teaches my kids to listen to the world around them.

What are your kids learning while playing in the rain?

As adults we have often been conditioned to see things one way; the “right” way.  Kids are much more open minded!  They see objects not for what they are but for what they can be.  These might look like upside down wheelbarrows to you, but they’re actually cars, trucks, spaceships, boats… all aboard!

Do your kids opt to play with objects creatively, rather than the “right” way?

]]> http://squigglemum.com/kids/the-right-way-to-play/feed/ 21 http://squigglemum.com/kids/letting-kids-know-they-are-loved/ http://squigglemum.com/kids/letting-kids-know-they-are-loved/#comments Sat, 22 May 2010 20:46:57 +0000 SquiggleMum http://squigglemum.com/?p=3159 I think it’s important for our children to hear that we love them, every day.  Yep, EVERY day.  Even on the hard days.  Our kids don’t earn our love through good behaviour.  As parents we give it unconditionally, even when we don’t like our children’s choices or actions or even their attitude.  Every child deserves to be loved.

We are all different though, and we all receive and give love in different ways.  If you have read The Five Love Languages (Gary Chapman) you are probably aware of the five main ways people show love to each other:

• words of affirmation
• quality time
• receiving gifts
• acts of service
• physical touch

At ages 4 and 1 my kids are still pretty young, so I’m still not sure what their love languages will be (though I am beginning to see with my daughter).  I therefore try to show them love in all five ways to make sure they get the message!  Here is one way I have been reminding my daughter that she is loved, even when she is at kindy and I am at home:

I often put a little note into her lunch box, but writing the note actually ON the banana is way more fun.  The best bit is that the note is invisible when I pack the banana, and only appears during the day.  To send your child a banana-gram just write directly onto the skin with a bamboo skewer.  The pressure will bruise the skin slightly but not damage the fruit.  As the bruise darkens during the day the message appears!  I always show my girl her lunchbox when it is packed so she knows what to expect later in the day – but the message is a surprise.

If you have a young child who responds to words of affirmation, or receiving gifts, try sending them a secret message in their lunch box.  It’s a great way to let them know they are loved.

How do you show love creatively to your kids?