Don't laugh at my pictures, art is NOT my calling=)
I was reading blogs the other day, as I frequently do;) and read about an idea one of my friends had about making clean-up time fun. She made a picture checklist of all the things that needed to be cleaned up around the house so her kids could check off their accomplishments.
Well, in my endeavor to get to the heart of Zeke's "freak-out" moments I decided that I'd tap into his love for superhero"ish" stuff and try something a little like this for him (and Areyna too of course) since we've figured out that another very common freak-out moment for Zeke is cleanup time. Not so much the cleaning part, but the "end of playing" part.
So, in an attempt to eliminate this particular "freak out" moment, instead of saying "Alright guys, your 1 minute is up. It's time to clean up so we can go take a nap." I said, "Hey guys. I am going to write you each a secret clue. See if you can tell what it is and go find it and put it where it belongs. After it's put away come back to me for your next secret clue"
I mean, what kid can pass up secret clues, a scavenger hunt for the secret clue, and finding "the special place" to put their stuff. The only rule for my game is that you have to have a happy heart doing it. For some reason I've never had to repeat that rule!
P.S. If you've got any extra pads of paper you could spare just send them to Secret Agents Areyna and Zeke Via, because our paper stash is running low as this activity seems to be an everyday favorite now=)
5 comments:
This is such a great idea. We are all to familiar with the freak-out moments. I'll have to give it a shot!
We have lots of pads of paper. If I had known I would have brought some. I'll send them after we get home. Maybe you can save and recycle the "clues".
Was Secret Agent Joey part of this inspiration?
Yes, Agent Joey def. had a part in this brainstorming idea=)
Hi Tasha, have you checked out "Raising Your Spirited Child"? I've never read it, but from what I've heard (about the book) Zeke sounds like he might fall into the "spirited child" catagory (Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, Energetic ). I've heard all good things about the book and would probably get it myself if I didn't live overseas. The clean-up idea is a GREAT one! Thanks for sharing. Clean-up time is a major ordeal in our home too, I may have to borrow this one.
Thanks Kristie. I think I may have heard of that book. I'll look into this one for sure. We need all the help we can get;)
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