It wasn't until my husband and I had a chat the other night, that the light bulb went off in my brain! Our conversation sounded like this:
me: "But, what did the girls on the prairie do when mom told them time to clean up?" "Did they have the option to whine or pout?" "Surely they did not joyfully do everything they were asked as little ones..."
Dustin: "Umm, maybe they did not have so much selection in toys to play with. When you only have a couple dolls and toys, that's easy to clean up."
Yes, of course dear...of course DEAR! Wowza:) It is coming together very clearly now. Less toys initially equals less painful of the clean-up process. My goal is not to be pointing my finger, scolding, or bossing them all day long. There won't be anytime left for fun! I have re-organized the free-play time with toys based on this.
A few other things I am learning:
-If I am stressed, turn silly and they love me!
-Even though they say they don't want to try a certain food, give it anyway. Just know they may not eat it.
-It's okay to have high expectations for a short time period. Just can't expect preschoolers to do anything for too long.
-They love to sing and do Bible verses with hand movements!
-Any outside time is EXTREMELY important for energy release. Even if it takes 10 minutes to bundle up, only spending 20 minutes out is worth it:)
More insight into my day to come. I will share how I have organized this much-loved chaos, some meal tips for breakfast and lunchtime, maybe even some ways to share God's Words with little ones.
I am loving this journey so far...
What journey are you on?
