READ!

Thursday, January 13th:

Taken in August 2010

It is SO cool when you have kids old enough to read to the younger kids, but there is still nothing like Mom or Dad reading a story.  It doesn't matter how juvenile the book is, ALL the boys gather 'round when Josh or I start reading.  I love it.

Taken in October 2010

Josh is GREAT about reading scriptures with the boys every night.  I join in, and LOVED reading to them about the iron rod the other night.  Parker's eyes were wide the whole time and they were very engaged...moment of PURE joy for me.  Some nights, I admit, I spend my time in more solitary occupations because my addition to scripture time would be a negative one.  I'm working on that, and I have a goal to be there every night, but there are lots of little things that need tweaking.
Josh isn't much one for organized scheduling, and I hate coming up for scriptures with kids using the bunkbeds for monkey bars or reading other books, or any number of crazy things....it's scripture time, gather round, sit down, behave. period.  This is an example of how I have to raise Josh...just a little nudge and reminder here and there.

I have  made a new goal this year to read to Kaden and/or Spencer every day.  WOW. What a change.

They didn't care much about books, or else they'd just look at them on their own occasionally. In a matter of a week they are bringing me books ANY time they come across them.  Kaden DEMANDS books daily.  Spencer sure did today too.  I was SOO tired, so I was sleeping on the couch and he beaned me with a book...jest and anger were coupled in that swing, surly! I still have a sore spot.

Parker and Tyson are both reading well above grade level...Tyson is only 5, never went to Kindergarten and is reading in the top half of his 1st grade class.  Parker skipped 1st grade and is reading in the top 1/2 of his class (and his teacher won't let him go faster because he is younger, I think).  Kaden already pretends to read books and words on pages...he gets the concept.  Spencer just brings me books and mumbles, hopefully reading will help him learn to talk soon!!

GOAL: WRESTLE DAILY, IF POSSIBLE

The 4 boys on our bed. Spencer LOVES to wrestle.

This is especially important in our family during the winter.  The natives, even those in school, get SO restless in the evenings.  Josh has made a point, which I love, to allow wrestling time.  Children need their dads to teach them good physical boundaries, and to push them to an uncomfortable level so they can learn how to deal with that.
(Parker is right now screaming that he WILL LEARN KUNG FU AND KARATE!!!  He hates that Josh always wins and is stronger...but it's the challenge that boy needs, to say the least!)

Wrestle time does not always fit into our schedule on any given day...things come up, welcome to life...so it is also a good time to help the boys deal with disappointment and other constructive physical activities.  Often it results in running through the house like maniacs, or using light sabers and other 'weapons' in any way they can to kill bad guys, monsters, and unfortunately they dismember each other.

Example of tinker toys becoming a Light Saber or Sword.

Yeah, it was the idea to NEVER buy a gun for the boys to shoot anyone.  Boys make guns out of ANYTHING.  Plus Light Sabers shouldn't be bad, right?  Swords are also make from any object longer than the hand.

Why fight it.

So they can use them, but they don't kill people, only monsters.
It's a good idea.
I...ME...am NEVER a target, and if I am, the weapon is repossessed and put into the confiscated weaponry pile until someone remembers it was taken away.

But that's not wrestling.

The problem we are currently having is transition time.  Going from the adrenalin charge of wrestling and inevitable subsequent crying, to relaxing and getting ready for bed.  That's a big challenge because you want them to wrestle, but DON'T want the pre-sleep fits...those are full-on hell.