Yesterday I was at our neighbourhood swimming pool and I saw a Mom with 3 daughters at the pool - maybe 4, 3 and one less than 1 year, none of whom could swim. I was in the water for maybe 1 1/2 hrs, and the whole time I was there she was holding the baby in her left arm, supporting the 3 year-old with her right (who had arm floaties on), while the eldest was off with a pool noodle. None was able to stand in the water. Who does that? How can you effectively supervise two, young, mobile kids at the pool with a handicap (the baby)?
Geez, I get a headache thinking about three. Two is all I can manage and even then, one is old enough to have some sense. She was such a pro that she took the baby to the washroom without the two older girls. If it was me, everybody was going to the restroom, whether they liked it or not. Maybe with girls you may have more confidence that they would look out for one another, but if they were boys, it was more dangerous to have them together. They get ...ideas..not so smart ones at that. (Maybe that's just my biased view.)
I think that the confidence you develop in yourself and the knowledge you have about what your children would and wouldn't do, determine how much independence you let them have, but part of that assessment must be based on your parenting personality and how you were brought up. (I was not left unsupervised, so I am a hovering parent.)
Around lunch time, said parent then proceeded to neatly fold the beach towels (I just stuff mine in my bag), get her girls lunch and discuss the plan for the afternoon. Good grief!! Why wasn't the youngest napping in the morning? And wasn't it late for the afternoon nap for all of them? And did I just hear they were going to do it again the next day? Stark raving bonkers.
After one year, I don't think I can say that I am a "new" stay-at-home Mom, but certainly I am more new than some others. Come September, it will be one year since I started this blog, so I might be making a few anniversary posts. Stay tuned!
Geez, I get a headache thinking about three. Two is all I can manage and even then, one is old enough to have some sense. She was such a pro that she took the baby to the washroom without the two older girls. If it was me, everybody was going to the restroom, whether they liked it or not. Maybe with girls you may have more confidence that they would look out for one another, but if they were boys, it was more dangerous to have them together. They get ...ideas..not so smart ones at that. (Maybe that's just my biased view.)
I think that the confidence you develop in yourself and the knowledge you have about what your children would and wouldn't do, determine how much independence you let them have, but part of that assessment must be based on your parenting personality and how you were brought up. (I was not left unsupervised, so I am a hovering parent.)
Around lunch time, said parent then proceeded to neatly fold the beach towels (I just stuff mine in my bag), get her girls lunch and discuss the plan for the afternoon. Good grief!! Why wasn't the youngest napping in the morning? And wasn't it late for the afternoon nap for all of them? And did I just hear they were going to do it again the next day? Stark raving bonkers.
After one year, I don't think I can say that I am a "new" stay-at-home Mom, but certainly I am more new than some others. Come September, it will be one year since I started this blog, so I might be making a few anniversary posts. Stay tuned!
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