(picture used with permission from The Family Man.)
Things are busy now that planting has started on the farm. Thank goodness for that! I was beginning to wonder if seed would ever get in the ground. As glad as I am to see things move along, having Knut in the fields all day makes the days so long because he doesn’t get to stop in as often. If he stops in while one of the little ones are taking a nap, they’ve missed their chance to see him that day. Plus, I don’t feel as free to up and go to “Mom’s night out” or any other events that we normally reserve for winter, or occasional times in the summer. I’ve debated several nights about putting the kids to bed at around 6:30pm, but I’ve resisted so far. (I’ll admit to a 7:30 bedtime which is 30 minutes early. They were being awful, though, and it was far better for them to be safe in their beds and away from me at that point.)
When Knut and I talked about taking the television away from the kids, we meant to keep family movie nights where we make popcorn and watch a movie as a family, and take away the endless, blank stares at the television during the day. Even though Knut couldn’t make it, I think we were in dire need of one of those, so Netflix came to the rescue on Thursday night.
We’ve been much better about going to the library once a week now that the weather is better and our Tuesday activities for the most part are done. I’m planning some playground jaunts as well. I’ve started some new library ideas with our kids, inspired by the The Well-Trained Mind book. I like when the kids pick out books, but it gets really annoying when books go back to the library untouched. It’s about annoying as finding folded laundry in the laundry basket that no one bothered to put away.
So now they each have a limit of picking 4 books of their choice each. Limiting their choices forces them to actually look at the book and see if it will interest them, instead of just making a pile as big as they can because it’s fun. Adding to their top choices, I pick out a children’s book in each of these categories:
1 science book
1 history book
1 art or music book
1 craft/ how-to book
1 biography or autobiography
1 classic novel or kids’ version
1 imaginative storybook
1 book of poetry
All of the library books, both my choices and theirs, are put in the living room and they can read them during their free time. I’m so excited about what a hit this is. This week, after we finished school, Silje picked up a kids’ biography of Hellen Keller, and read the whole thing. She couldn’t put it down she was so into it. David loves to look at the science book full of sea creatures, and Silje and David love to read the vintage silly poem book I found in the kids’ section. I told Knut it almost seems that they like the “educational” books I pick out for them more than the ones I let them pick out.
I just laugh to myself when Silje asks “Is school finally done?” and I say, “yep, you can go play now.” Then she runs into the room and picks up a book on the history of South Dakota and settles in. Hehe. I feel so sneaky…
Listening to audio books have not been that great of a hit in the past, but now that the kids are bored out of their minds with no television, they love to listen to them while they are coloring. The current favorite is Black Beauty
. It’s amazing the beautiful places that boredom brings.
. It’s amazing the beautiful places that boredom brings. Kids don’t get a chance to be bored anymore, these days, I think. “Stimulate the brain” is the phrase of the decade, and I’ve always been suspicious of it. Boredom leads to daydreaming, and wonderful things start to happen when children start to dream. I don’t think for a moment that kids being idle is good, but we become so consumed as a culture to stimulate our children’s brains that they get no chance to just sit and dream.
I think discovery is the search for stimulation, and that begins with boredom. Profound, I know. It’s just the mood I’m in.
I remember talking with a woman once about her daughter who was decorating her nursery for her first baby. She said she was decorating the nursery in black and white because that combination was supposed to stimulate the brain.
“Why does she want the place he sleeps to be stimulating?” (says me, the queen of unsolicited advice) “If it were me, I would pick the most soothing colors for a nursery, and save the stimulation for a few choice toys. That way the baby will have a safe place where his brain doesn’t get overstimulated, making it tough to sleep.”
“I never thought of it that way!” the grandma said.
I can see the danger in unsupervised boredom that can often lead to getting into mischief. This is especially true in the city, I think. For that, I’m glad we live where we are surrounded by nature. There’s so much to see if you only let yourself get bored enough to notice it.
It goes along with the argument you hear parents say: “You can’t stop them from eating candy” to which I reply: “You can if you stop buying it.”
or… “You can’t make your kids play outside” I answer, “You can if the only option inside is picking up the play room.”
or… “You can’t make your kids read educational books” I answer, “You can if you take away the junk.”
It’s amazing what little kids will enjoy when you put only wholesome choices in front of them. I’m sure this will be short lived, and I’ll have to figure something out when they get to be teenagers. Until then, I hope to preserve a healthy, wholesome childhood for them as long as it’s in my power to do so. When I figure the older years all out, I’ll let you know. One day at a time…
That’s my hodge-podge sum up of the week. I’m climbing the walls some days while Knut is so so busy. I still question my decisions, but I’m feeling more confident as I see fruits of the labor begin to show. I still have so much to do, and am doing my best to prioritize and keep first things first. Isn’t that what every family struggles with? Yeah, we’re right there with you.
Penny says
May 6, 2011 at 4:26 pmI love reading your theories on kids reading! We have a rule in our house that the kids can check out their age, so Alex gets 6 and Bella gets 4. THen I get to pick out whatever I want for them. They love it! Their faves right now are cookbooks, and A loves geography books.
I agree that kids need to get bored in order for their brains to work sometimes.
Mom says
May 6, 2011 at 6:25 pmHeidi and I were just talking about the book “My Side of the Mountain”. I had just watched the movie during my exercise time, and Heidi had recently read the book. It may be a little too early for your kids to read it, I don’t know, but it’s a good one to put on the list for the future.
momof4 says
May 6, 2011 at 7:09 pmMy kids love the library! I love your advice on picking a book from each category and I plan on trying that out the next time I’m there.
We love all the Little House on the Prairie audio books! I’m going to have to check out Black Beauty because my oldest girl is a horse lover.