Blocks flying, trucks careening over boy-made ramps, brothers wrassling. And not just once in a while…it’s constant chaos.
Moments of quiet send up a red flag immediately. Something has to be wrong… or someboy is cooking something up.
When you have four boys, all three years apart, this is your life. Punctuated, of course, with a trip or two to the ER. And sometimes, it just gets to be too much.
How to survive? Find little bits of sanity.
Settle for little bits—they don’t have to be chunks, or days full of sanity. (That’s pretty unrealistic, anyway.)
Some ideas?
1. “Let’s all go outside!” A little space, a little fresh air sometimes works wonders. At least the sound disperses so they’re not as loud as they are inside the four walls.
2. “It’s bath time.” A change of scenery just helps sometimes, and sometimes separation is necessary! I’ve put the younger one in the tub and sat in the doorway between him and older brother, playing cars in the hallway, waiting his turn.
3. “I’ll bet I can get these books all put up before you guys get the Legos back in the bucket.” A challenge—boys against Mom! Before they know it, they’re working together.
4. Naptime / Quiet time. For all the boys and Mom, too. When some gave up their naps, we still had “quiet time on the bed.” Books, Adventures in Odyssey cds, pirate figures, whatever works to give the big one (and Mom) some quiet. The dishes, the laundry—it all calls to you, but it’s a great time for Mom to catch a breather, too.
Quiet time doesn’t come naturally to most boys, so we have to be intentional about introducing it. And it’s not just for us. Think about it; it’s a skill they’ll need at church, at school, waiting in an adult situation. Kids should be able to entertain themselves with a book (and without an electronic device) or their imagination!
Mom, whether you have boys, girls, or a combination, how do you find little bits of sanity in your day?
Put this button on your website or blog by copying and pasting the code below:
4 comments:
Good tips here. Reminded me of last week when we watched Kyla full-time for five days. At one point I looked at the chaos and said a word of thanks for a healthy happy child too.
Naptime/quiet time is a must!
I've also found work to be a source of sanity with my 13 yos. Sometimes he just has so much energy, he doesn't know what to do with it! If he is given a job (a REAL job, meaningful and needed) it channels and burns some of that energy and I like him much better an hour later! :)
Great idea, Shonya, for those tweens and teens. Not busy work, but something they see as meaningful. True for my boys, too.
Just stumbled across your blog and read this post-- how did you see in my playroom yesterday?! : ) I, too, am a mom of four boys, 6 and under. I found your tips to be some that I regularly rely heavily upon, but must mention perhaps the most important one that for me has truly meant the difference between sanity and complete insanity. My time with God. There are times that I have needed to put babies in pack n plays, turn on a movie for the older boys and head to the laundry room to pray and just spend moments (and I do mean just moments) of quiet resting in the peace of God which truly is beyond my understanding. Those moments help propel me into the evening hours and embrace the calling of God on my life. Blessings to you and thank you for sharing such wonderful wisdom with us~
Post a Comment