When my wife and I set out to go on vacation with our kids, a lot of hope goes into our ability to relax while being away from home.
Last month, we took a vacation to Myrtle Beach. It was just the four of us. There was no family waiting for us on our destination. It would be interesting like I thought it would.
Anytime we go somewhere, whether it be for vacation or to see our families, we have to make stops at the Chick-Fil-A, gas station bathrooms, and possibly another fast food restaurant that has an indoor playground.
When you want to relax on vacation with two kids, forget it!!!!! The only time you can relax is when we all go to sleep.
When we are in the water (at the beach or in the swimming pool), we have to keep our eyes out for our suns at all times. When the boys want to play in the water, we put sunscreen on them and put their swimmies on them.
When we walk around town, we hold their hands so that they don't run out into the street. We do it in the name of safety.
The boys loved the Ferris Wheel, the boardwalk, the video arcade, and the beach. I loved those things too.
I think the boys had fun with us. I've also learned that cramming so many activities into one afternoon can make the boys tired and cranky.
Looking back on things, I think we might have been better served by limiting the number of activities in the afternoon. After all, it was hot and humid in Myrtle Beach.
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Daddy at the Day Care
Every day around four in the afternoon, I leave my house to go pick up Ben and Blake from their daycare center. Every afternoon a two-to-three minute task takes at least ten minutes.
After I get my hug from Blake and another little hug from Ben, I take them out to the car to get them buckled into their car seats. At least that's always the initial plan.
Once I gather Ben and Blake near me, I have to take them to the potty because Ben says he has to go to the bathroom. Blake will go with Ben too. I find myself getting in a hurry for them to go to the bathroom and finish. I need to learn to take a step back and let them go through that process.
I find myself rushing them out the door after they go, but I need to let them wash their hands and dry them off afterward. Those are good practices after going to the bathroom.
After they finish up in the bathroom, I have to chase them down inside the daycare center a few times before I put them inside the car. I shouldn't have to tell them more than once to come with me and stop running around inside the building.
I'm seriously considering taking away privileges like Nintendo time, table time, and dessert if they are continually rambunctious at pick up time.
Hopefully they'll behave better soon.
After I get my hug from Blake and another little hug from Ben, I take them out to the car to get them buckled into their car seats. At least that's always the initial plan.
Once I gather Ben and Blake near me, I have to take them to the potty because Ben says he has to go to the bathroom. Blake will go with Ben too. I find myself getting in a hurry for them to go to the bathroom and finish. I need to learn to take a step back and let them go through that process.
I find myself rushing them out the door after they go, but I need to let them wash their hands and dry them off afterward. Those are good practices after going to the bathroom.
After they finish up in the bathroom, I have to chase them down inside the daycare center a few times before I put them inside the car. I shouldn't have to tell them more than once to come with me and stop running around inside the building.
I'm seriously considering taking away privileges like Nintendo time, table time, and dessert if they are continually rambunctious at pick up time.
Hopefully they'll behave better soon.
Learning to Snack the Boys
After I take the boys home from daycare, I have to decide whether or not to give each son a snack before dinner time. I don't want to starve them, but I don't want to spoil their appetite either.
I'm learning how to give them snacks before dinner. Sometimes I don't give them anything until their mama gets home. Other days I give them goldfish crackers or fruit snacks as a treat. On occasion, I will give in to their charming 'please' and their screaming to give them a Popsicle or some Mini Muffins.
There are some occasions when I will take Ben and Blake to RaceTrac to get a sample of ice cream and their slushees. They'll drink them on the way home and at the house. That usually happens around two hours before dinner.
When there is candy in the house, I'll occasionally cave and give Ben and Blake a piece of candy. I even let them pick a piece out of a big bag they share. I will limit them to one before dinner.
I don't give out candy during breakfast time. That is what I'm stern about. I'll calm down and tell them they can have some candy after lunch.
My favorite snacks I like to give away to my sons are fruit snacks, goldfish crackers, potato chips, cookies, yogurt, and mini-muffins.
Ben's favorite snacks are mini-muffins, candy, fruit snacks, carrots, apples, and yogurt.
Blake's favorites are goldfish, popsicles, yogurt, applesauce, oranges, candy, and chips.
If the boys get home from daycare early enough, I'll give them a snack before dinner.
Once they go back to school in August, I'll definitely give them after school snacks. It's one of the best things I can do for my boys.
I'm learning how to give them snacks before dinner. Sometimes I don't give them anything until their mama gets home. Other days I give them goldfish crackers or fruit snacks as a treat. On occasion, I will give in to their charming 'please' and their screaming to give them a Popsicle or some Mini Muffins.
There are some occasions when I will take Ben and Blake to RaceTrac to get a sample of ice cream and their slushees. They'll drink them on the way home and at the house. That usually happens around two hours before dinner.
When there is candy in the house, I'll occasionally cave and give Ben and Blake a piece of candy. I even let them pick a piece out of a big bag they share. I will limit them to one before dinner.
I don't give out candy during breakfast time. That is what I'm stern about. I'll calm down and tell them they can have some candy after lunch.
My favorite snacks I like to give away to my sons are fruit snacks, goldfish crackers, potato chips, cookies, yogurt, and mini-muffins.
Ben's favorite snacks are mini-muffins, candy, fruit snacks, carrots, apples, and yogurt.
Blake's favorites are goldfish, popsicles, yogurt, applesauce, oranges, candy, and chips.
If the boys get home from daycare early enough, I'll give them a snack before dinner.
Once they go back to school in August, I'll definitely give them after school snacks. It's one of the best things I can do for my boys.
Bribes work (some of the time)
I've rediscovered that on my best days, I can bribe (get) my two kids to do what I need them to do. About a month ago, I was able to get Blake to take a bath by giving him a little Popsicle. Ben was not as willing to take a bath for a Popsicle.
Ben made a choice to play with his Peppa Pig toys while I was getting Blake clean. Blake got his red Popsicle (and some of what would have been Ben's orange Popsicle). Ben was feeling sad and left out after he knew he lost his orange Popsicle.
Once I got Ben to go to the bathtub, I was able to give him a red Popsicle while I was bathing him. He was even nice enough to share some of it with me.
Yesterday, Ben and Blake needed to go to daycare so that their mama could rest and recover from a sore throat. I bribed them with going to the slushee store (RaceTrac) if they went to daycare.
Blake went without any issue and complaint. He got to go the RaceTrac with me after I picked him up from daycare. He got to walk around the store and see what slushees were available. He even go to pick the PURPLE slushee. Ben was not cooperating with me. He wouldn't get dressed to go to daycare. So he stayed home and didn't get to go to the slushee store. I went on to get Ben a Blue slushee on my own. He didn't get to go to the slushee store.
I will work harder in 'bribing' my children to do well and behave. If they misbehave, I'll threaten to take away Blake's teddy bear and nintendo. I'll also threaten to take away Ben's tablet and doggie (a stuffed animal).
I'm constantly searching for new alternatives for spanking and timeouts.
If I have to do it, I'll send the boys to their room without their toys.
Friday, I'll 'bribe', or reward, them with a night out to dinner with my wife.
Ben made a choice to play with his Peppa Pig toys while I was getting Blake clean. Blake got his red Popsicle (and some of what would have been Ben's orange Popsicle). Ben was feeling sad and left out after he knew he lost his orange Popsicle.
Once I got Ben to go to the bathtub, I was able to give him a red Popsicle while I was bathing him. He was even nice enough to share some of it with me.
Yesterday, Ben and Blake needed to go to daycare so that their mama could rest and recover from a sore throat. I bribed them with going to the slushee store (RaceTrac) if they went to daycare.
Blake went without any issue and complaint. He got to go the RaceTrac with me after I picked him up from daycare. He got to walk around the store and see what slushees were available. He even go to pick the PURPLE slushee. Ben was not cooperating with me. He wouldn't get dressed to go to daycare. So he stayed home and didn't get to go to the slushee store. I went on to get Ben a Blue slushee on my own. He didn't get to go to the slushee store.
I will work harder in 'bribing' my children to do well and behave. If they misbehave, I'll threaten to take away Blake's teddy bear and nintendo. I'll also threaten to take away Ben's tablet and doggie (a stuffed animal).
I'm constantly searching for new alternatives for spanking and timeouts.
If I have to do it, I'll send the boys to their room without their toys.
Friday, I'll 'bribe', or reward, them with a night out to dinner with my wife.
Ben's Bathroom Tour 2019
A day after Father's Day, my wife Kelly, sons Ben and Blake, and I embarked on our vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I knew going in that we had to make some potty stops along the way. I did not anticipate that we could be visiting BATHROOMS before, during, and after our trip.
Once we got off I-20 and I-95 in Florence, South Carolina, we made two potty stops for the boys (especially for Ben) before we made it to Myrtle Beach. We stopped for dinner before we retreated to our room for the night.
When we arrived at a seafood restaurant, Ben had to go to the bathroom with me (and later with his mama) before we got our dinner.
Actually, our ritual is that Ben potties, washes his hands, flushes the potty a few times, turns the lights off an on a few times, then I am able to usher him out of the bathroom.
Every day that we were in Myrtle Beach, Ben had to go to the bathroom somewhere. It could have been at the pool, the restaurant near the beach, and at the Walmart where we bought groceries. Sometimes my wife and I had to take Ben to the bathroom on separate occasions. That gave Ben the opportunity to go potty and check out each of the bathrooms.
On the Wednesday of our trip, we went on our only buffet of the week. We all went to Captain Benjamin's for dinner. After Ben found a ceiling fan to play with, his first stop was to the bathroom. I took him first. After we all had something to eat, my wife took him to the bathroom next. I would take him a few more times before we finished dinner and moved on to some miniature golf.
Later on we went to a candy and ice cream shop for some more dessert. We also found a bathroom to go to a few more times. In that bathroom, Ben had to go, flush the potty a few times, wash his hands, flush a few more times, and turn the lights on and off before we exited the bathroom.
On Thursday, our final full day in Myrtle Beach, Ben had to check out the third kind of bathroom on our trip (The Family Bathroom). This happened after we exited the ferris wheel near the Landshark Cafe. Ben was so amped up about going to the family bathroom, we had to get someone to unlock the door to get us in. I sat this one out, so I have to assume that Ben did what he needed to do and enjoyed his time in there.
There are two sides to me on Ben checking out bathrooms. On one hand, I want Ben to be able to go to the bathroom somewhere if he needs to. On the other hand, I want to make sure Ben isn't merely checking out different bathrooms. I don't want him to cry potty (like someone would cry wolf) if he really has to go.
There were times along the road trip that Ben said he had to go potty really bad. My wife and I told him to go in the grass if ne needed to. He said no, that he wanted to go to the bathroom. When there are long stretches of I-20 without an exit (or a gas station), there's no potty to go to. Ben either had to hold it or go somewhere in the grass. We all waited and found a gas station bathroom for our Ben to go to.
We have been back from vacation for more than two weeks. While we're here in the Atlanta Area, Ben will find a bathroom to check out. I'll be there for him.
Once we got off I-20 and I-95 in Florence, South Carolina, we made two potty stops for the boys (especially for Ben) before we made it to Myrtle Beach. We stopped for dinner before we retreated to our room for the night.
When we arrived at a seafood restaurant, Ben had to go to the bathroom with me (and later with his mama) before we got our dinner.
Actually, our ritual is that Ben potties, washes his hands, flushes the potty a few times, turns the lights off an on a few times, then I am able to usher him out of the bathroom.
Every day that we were in Myrtle Beach, Ben had to go to the bathroom somewhere. It could have been at the pool, the restaurant near the beach, and at the Walmart where we bought groceries. Sometimes my wife and I had to take Ben to the bathroom on separate occasions. That gave Ben the opportunity to go potty and check out each of the bathrooms.
On the Wednesday of our trip, we went on our only buffet of the week. We all went to Captain Benjamin's for dinner. After Ben found a ceiling fan to play with, his first stop was to the bathroom. I took him first. After we all had something to eat, my wife took him to the bathroom next. I would take him a few more times before we finished dinner and moved on to some miniature golf.
Later on we went to a candy and ice cream shop for some more dessert. We also found a bathroom to go to a few more times. In that bathroom, Ben had to go, flush the potty a few times, wash his hands, flush a few more times, and turn the lights on and off before we exited the bathroom.
On Thursday, our final full day in Myrtle Beach, Ben had to check out the third kind of bathroom on our trip (The Family Bathroom). This happened after we exited the ferris wheel near the Landshark Cafe. Ben was so amped up about going to the family bathroom, we had to get someone to unlock the door to get us in. I sat this one out, so I have to assume that Ben did what he needed to do and enjoyed his time in there.
There are two sides to me on Ben checking out bathrooms. On one hand, I want Ben to be able to go to the bathroom somewhere if he needs to. On the other hand, I want to make sure Ben isn't merely checking out different bathrooms. I don't want him to cry potty (like someone would cry wolf) if he really has to go.
There were times along the road trip that Ben said he had to go potty really bad. My wife and I told him to go in the grass if ne needed to. He said no, that he wanted to go to the bathroom. When there are long stretches of I-20 without an exit (or a gas station), there's no potty to go to. Ben either had to hold it or go somewhere in the grass. We all waited and found a gas station bathroom for our Ben to go to.
We have been back from vacation for more than two weeks. While we're here in the Atlanta Area, Ben will find a bathroom to check out. I'll be there for him.
Friday, December 14, 2018
Me, Blake, and Teddy
Yesterday, Blake and I played catch with his gray bear (Teddy). We each had the same number of catches, but Blake had more laughs and smiles. I 'worried' that Teddy would get hurt if nobody caught him. Thank goodness he's only a teddy bear.
While we were playing with the bear in the living room, we rolled teddy, we flipped teddy, we threw teddy like a football, and most importantly, we enjoyed teddy together.
Blake has a great arm. He can throw the bear up high near the ceiling fan and blow it past me over my head.
Sometimes, I can execute the one-arm grab of the bear if I think he's getting away from me.
Meet Blake and Teddy:
I love that I can pass on my old teddy bears, my old stuffed animals, and my love for bears down to Blake. I own teddy bears anymore.
Someday I hope I can make Ben a teddy bear man.
Also, I'm still a bear man.
While we were playing with the bear in the living room, we rolled teddy, we flipped teddy, we threw teddy like a football, and most importantly, we enjoyed teddy together.
Blake has a great arm. He can throw the bear up high near the ceiling fan and blow it past me over my head.
Sometimes, I can execute the one-arm grab of the bear if I think he's getting away from me.
Meet Blake and Teddy:
 |
| PHOTO: My son Blake and his bear Teddy |
 |
| Teddy and Blake |
 |
| Teddy and Blake |
I love that I can pass on my old teddy bears, my old stuffed animals, and my love for bears down to Blake. I own teddy bears anymore.
Someday I hope I can make Ben a teddy bear man.
Also, I'm still a bear man.
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Ben and the ceiling fans
Ben loves ceiling fans. He may not be a big fan of toys, video games, or Legos (like he used to be), but he sure loves his ceiling fans and his utilities.
If Ben earns five stars on any one thing or for every five stars he earns on everything he's supposed to do, I let him pull the chain to turn on and off the fan and the lights of our three ceiling fans.
I provide him a blue bucket to stand on and I help hold him up to where he can pull the chains safely in our three rooms that provide us light and cooler air.
I let him do his truck in the living room, our bedroom, and their bedroom. I give him extra time and extra pulls for him to be happy. I'll do anything in my power to keep him happy.
At the same time, I have to be the parent that sets reasonable limits for him. After the third sets of pulls on each of the ceiling fans, I tell him that it's time to stop. Once I tell him to stop, he gets mad. I don't mean to make him mad, but I can't just let him pull chains all day.
It's not good for the equipment, and it's especially not good for him either. It takes about an hour to calm him down and keep him away from the buckets that could prop him up to reach the ceiling fan.
I even have to spend some extra time to get him to stop pulling the couch cushions to prop him up toward the ceiling fans.
Yesterday, I had to lock the door to our bedroom to prevent him from messing with our ceiling fan. I even had to send him to his room because he wouldn't listen to us.
One wish I have is that he will take some interest in our family activities and that he'll play with his toys with us. I want to be able to play with Ben more.
At least Ben likes to color and practice writing his name over and over again. He's getting better in writing B E N in the correct order.
Finally, my big wish is that Ben can harness is love and energy for ceiling fans, lights, fans, and light switches in a positive manner.
If Ben earns five stars on any one thing or for every five stars he earns on everything he's supposed to do, I let him pull the chain to turn on and off the fan and the lights of our three ceiling fans.
I provide him a blue bucket to stand on and I help hold him up to where he can pull the chains safely in our three rooms that provide us light and cooler air.
I let him do his truck in the living room, our bedroom, and their bedroom. I give him extra time and extra pulls for him to be happy. I'll do anything in my power to keep him happy.
At the same time, I have to be the parent that sets reasonable limits for him. After the third sets of pulls on each of the ceiling fans, I tell him that it's time to stop. Once I tell him to stop, he gets mad. I don't mean to make him mad, but I can't just let him pull chains all day.
It's not good for the equipment, and it's especially not good for him either. It takes about an hour to calm him down and keep him away from the buckets that could prop him up to reach the ceiling fan.
I even have to spend some extra time to get him to stop pulling the couch cushions to prop him up toward the ceiling fans.
Yesterday, I had to lock the door to our bedroom to prevent him from messing with our ceiling fan. I even had to send him to his room because he wouldn't listen to us.
One wish I have is that he will take some interest in our family activities and that he'll play with his toys with us. I want to be able to play with Ben more.
At least Ben likes to color and practice writing his name over and over again. He's getting better in writing B E N in the correct order.
Finally, my big wish is that Ben can harness is love and energy for ceiling fans, lights, fans, and light switches in a positive manner.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)