The Annoying Sibling Syndrome

 

"Mock,...Yea-ah,...Ing,...Yea-ah,...BIIIIRD!!!...Yea-ah,...YEA,...Yea-ah..."

- Lloyed and Harry, Dumb and Dumber

   The day previous to this post, The Wife looked back and saw our 5YO son reenacting the above scene sitting next to our 2YO daughter. She told him to knock it off, and in a frustrated voice muttered, "Geez,....Lloyd." I busted up laughing since I also noticed our poor wee girl had the same look on her face as the guy in the middle. 

   In a long line of annoying siblings, our boy can be the leader of the pack. While he is sweet, loving, tender, caring, and a snuggle-bug,....is also a button pusher and bluff caller. Once he's in the car, there's an invisible timer to see how fast he can get me to blow up like the guy from Dumb and Dumber. It can be mind-numbingly irritating, but then, wasn't I a young boy once?

   This is the key point. Our pediatrician once said that our boy is "very bright, and with that, he needs engagement or he will get bored." So the challenge is to be "creative in a really interesting way..." (Dr. Oatman, Gross Pointe Blank). Sure, we can plan outings, excursions, invasions, etc., but what does one do in the car? I'm not a fan of putting a movie on EVERY time we enter the vehicle. That can spiral out of control. The flip side of that is Lloyd singing Mockingbird in my daughters face.

   So the challenge continues. Any thoughts are welcome. Suggestions will be considered. Patience will continue to be tested. In the meantime, here's the most annoying sound in the world.

J.

Board Games - Taking It Back A Few Years

“The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.” - Plato

 

   Some time ago, we were gifted the board game set pictured above. The Wife and I have used it off and on since then, and it was at times a nice diversion to a young 'Lil Miss. These days, as you can see, it's being used in a more productive manner. The chutes 'n ladders game is the favorite, as the others are too complex. Checkers is next on the list. I think the point is that we're trying to take steps to encourage a WIDE variety of activities with our children. So in our home of electronics, it's been nice to take it back a few years with our array of board games.

   Our kids are already plugged in. They've been iLiving for several years now and have impressed our older generations with their tech savvy. I'm amazed how how many gaming messages are in the email outbox when my 'Lil Man is done with his turn on the iPad. I mean, how many friends does he really have to share that stuff with?

   When I watch my children play, I see how each activity can build an array of skills. Motor, social, strategy, competitive, etc. As a father, I love to see them play together. There are moments of revolution and words are had, but most of the time it's a serene environment. We usually put on some music and they play our kids friendly board games for any length of time. They play by the rules, break the rules, and make up their own rules.

   I love the diversity of what we have our little ones involved in. What sort of activities do your family partake in that we might try out? I'm "game" for anything.

 

J.