Monday, August 18, 2008

Theme of the Week Challenge

This week's theme is based on one of the comments we received during the brainstorming week. This is what Christie said:
I would love to have some ideas on helping my children get along. They are CONSTANTLY around each other, so I can understand that there is some fighting, but my younger son is an extrovert, and my older son is an introvert, so the extrovert always wants to be around my older son...I just want some ideas on helping them get along and ways to get them to play alone sometimes so they aren't always together.
I know exactly how she feels, because I have a 3 year old and a 5 year old (who will finally start kindergarten next week and will finally have an outlet with kids his age). But even if you only have one child, you still want them to learn how to share and get along with other children their age when they have playdates. So this week's theme is sharing and playing nicely. I'm sure all of us would love to hear tips and tricks that work at your house!

4 comments:

Julie said...

My husband and I have just instituted family rules with the acronyn ROCK.

Christian said...

Judging by the comments, or lack thereof, it seems this might be a problem for all of us! Come on, we all have at least one good idea, don't we?!

Deneal said...

Ok, I've been thinking, but only came up with two suggestions.
1. I often tell my son to have kind hands and a kind mouth--meaning he has to remember to both do and say kind things while playing.
2. The timer. (I use a small digital timer for everything kid related!) When a toy is being fought over, I simply use the timer for 1 or 2 minutes and then it switches owners.

Nothing terribly original, but that's what I've got.

Christie // lemon squeezy home said...

This was my question:). Thanks for posting it! I have been doing the timer thing--funny, I didn't even read yours Deneal, but remembered hearing about someone trying that. My older son HATES the timer because it means he has to share, but that is a great thing--he'll learn he can't over-rule the younger one. It's funny because he plays really well with other kids, it's just the sibling thing I suppose.
Another thing I've been trying is that if they aren't getting along with the same toys, I tell them they have to play in different rooms for a few minutes, which they also hate, but it has helped them to treat each other more nicely since they are so "devestated" that they can't play together!
Not the best ideas, but I guess it's just a normal problem?!