How do you balance out the interest of 2 kids of different ages at home ? Thats becoming such a different challenge for me to handle these days.
Anything I start out with Junior is baby game or boring for Cantaloupe and Junior just has her own rules when I attempt playing anything with her sister. Like the other day, I wanted Cantaloupe to not be left out of family fun and introduced her to Carrom, (this was a popular game with us kids while I grew up ... none of us came close to becoming champions, but nonetheless we had so much fun) So I arranged the carrom pawns on the board and stepped out for about 5 secs to fetch the powder and what do I see when I come back ?? Junior in the middle of the board throwing the pawns in all possible direction and thus ended my grand plans of carrom with Cantaloupe.
Also another day, Cantaloupe wanted to play -pretend doctor / patient with me. So I was the patient and she was my doctor. She had her stethoscope and pretended to check me and prescribed me some pills. She was bought to give me a shot / injection when she found the same in Junior's mouth. Apparently it tasted better than a lollipop to Junior who made such a hue and cry before giving up the syringe.
Board games are out of question ... there is no way the pawns will remain on the board ... triominos, snake and ladder - all gone for a toss.
We manage to play pretend games sometimes ... Cantaloupe is irritated when Junior disrupts her game plans, but I try to convince her that Junior is her assistant in the task and is only helping out. But then why would anyone call the idea of pulling out ones' hair helping when she is pretending to be a hair dresser.
I am running out of ideas on how to handle both kids together ... they manage just fine when they play with each other (well . most of the times ... ok sometimes they manage). So far dancing with music in the background or hide and seek have been working fairly well with both kids ... but then there are only so many spots in the house where one can hide :)
Ideas please ....
Sunday, September 6, 2009
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18 comments:
Oh yeah ! I know what you mean - in my case I just tend to leave them alone to play. We do the music and dance, that's always a hit. Or we do the pillow fighting/tent making thing. Poppin gets her corner to colour in, Sweetpea gets her peekaboo play.
I think you'd have to wait for Junior's destructive tendencies to be outgrown.
The other day I made Antu sit in the high chair with some finger food and Ashu and I played a board game set on the dining table. antu did nt feel left out.
Otherwise, even I get to read books to Ashu only when Antu is sleeping. She snatches the books, turns the pages, brings another book and Ashu has learnt to roll her eyes at her sister already!! ;)
This is a v. big problem here too. Tho Thambi, if in the right mood, stays away and watches us as we play board games, if we give him just a few pieces to hold on to.
They play trains together more or less peacefully. But most things are peacefully accomplished with Winkie only when Thambi is sleeping.
So...not much help I know. :D
Ahhh this is a big problem...when you get more idea's please tell me
Aryan's Mom
First time here. I can hear you:) Only way my 5 year old daughter gets to play anything suiting her age is - either hubby or I take care of her sister and the other one sits and plays with her.
@poppins: Thats the thing ... waiting for Junior to grow ... :(
@Boo: The high chair thing works for like 2 mins before Junior wants every single thing that Cantaloupe has ... God help us from those shrieks
@T: You too ??? OK ... now I have no hope :(
@Aryan's mom: I am still looking for answers ... no help here
@Lakshmi: Welcome ! I hear you sister ... single handedly playing with 2 kids happens only at the park :)
Same situation here CA :( The only time I get with M and N is during Lily's naps. You do have to wait a bit until she is a bit bigger.
There you all go, scaring me again.
Am clueless on this :)
@mnamma: Atleast M and N have each other for company ... though that doesn't erase the fact that you are not able to play with them :(
@Rohini: So you didn't know this already ? C'on .... having second kid is on the same lines as Shaadi ke laddoo ...
@COS: Ah ... those days when I could play with Cantaloupe ... (*typing this hugging and kissing Junior*)
how did I miss this post...
here to say, ditto.
with us, dancing, peekaboo, chase, puppet play, finger games and rhymes are the common ones.
board games, reading - forget abt it.
when dad and K play with trains, they shut the door, and i am responsible for 'King Kong.'
i dont think much is going to change for another 2-3 years!
Ro: you ain't seen nothing yet ;)
"God help us from those shrieks"
Same here! Same here! comment by aka.monica when she visited me yesterday and heard the shreiks - 'God this girl can scream! N was never so loud!'
My inner reaction: Wait till you have the second one *evil smirk*
whow!!!! this is a problem too??? grrrr!
Board games with the older one are best done when the little one is asleep. Or hold the little one on your lap and let her pretend that she's playing. That works sometimes. The trick is to never leave them alone with a board game and to assure the older one that it's really you that's playing. :) I much prefer the first method.
@KM: OK .. I thought I'd get some help with this post ... turns out every one of us is sailing in the same boat. I love King Kong :)
@Poppy: Ha .. these kids I tell ya ... they reserve their "special" moments in front of guests :)
@Abha: Oh ... yah to trailer hai .... picture mein bahut kuch hai :)
@Sujatha: Thats what I have figured ... waiting for the time Junior sleeps and then play with Cantaloupe... involving Junior in board games is not helping much here :(
Hmm, there are some things, the girls do behind locked dogs. their beaading, intricate lego stuff.
Ohhh they all play the Hungry hippo games together. Samar loves it although he cries when he loses.
We do downward dog and yoga poses together. each child gets a towel to lie down.
Dancing to loud music..Aahun Aahun current favourite and It's a good night
A few more years and it will be all right.
locked dogs? I meant locked doors.. goodness
@Sunita: Dancing to music seems to be the norm most parents have agreed ... has worked like a charm :)
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