GIVE A CHILD A WOODEN TRACTOR

A couple of months back Daddy spent the morning in the workshop with Miss 9, Master 6 and Master 4.

They were so excited that they had designed and "helped" Daddy to build this tractor and trailer for their little brother.

Just thought you might like to see :o)

God Bless
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD LOVE

These two little men had a busy day and were fast asleep minutes after they got into bed.

I didn't know that our 4 year old had made a bed for his dolly - all by himself. I almost melted when I saw how lovingly he had tucked Daddy Joffa in.

Actually Daddy Joffa has been helping us discuss obedience. Daddy Joffa was going to jump out the window! He had chosen to be disobedient and naughty.

Our 4 year old listened to Mummy telling the "jumping out the window" story with wide eyes, and when we got to the bit where Daddy Joffa was just about to jump out the window he snatched him away and held him tight. He didn't want his dolly to make the wrong decision. He helped him to obey.

Obedience brings joy.
Disobedience brings trouble.


God Bless
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD AN APPRECIATION FOR BEAUTY

"Look baby! A precious little flower! It's so pretty. See the beautiful lilac colour with the gentle white stripes coming from the centre. See how the stripes go all the way to the edges? What are the little pieces like inside? Can you see them?"

"Flower."

"Yes, flower."

"My flower?"

"Gentle with the flower ... oops."


Babies like to REALLY explore lovely things.


Choose appropriate things for them to explore so their lives aren't full of "Don't Touch!" "Stop!" "Leave it!".

If you happen to have a priceless Ming vase (!) then PUT IT AWAY while your precious ones are little. :o)

God Bless
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A PLAY MAT

In the blog a few days ago, about "Breathing Space" for Mummies I mentioned playmats.

Just to show that I did NOT make my little boys fancy, clever quilts that might be seen hanging on the wall at the local A&P Show with a FIRST prize ribbon on it - here's a picture!

The green bit is often a hill or a field, the blue is sea or a lake, there's a little jetty going onto the sandy beach ... it changes according to the game being played.

The reason we had our playmats out this day was that everyone seemed to be antagonising everyone else ... well - when I say EVERYONE it was actually only the three youngest little boys, but of course, that made it feel like EVERYONE was being annoying (N.B. Bobby the Pomeranian wasn't being annoying - he never is).

So we hauled out the playmats and separated everyone - each to his own mat - and gave each a share of blocks and a bit of a lecture about being happy with what you have been given because learning to be content is an extremely valuable character quality (they are actually getting the message about that! Praise God!!).

Oh - horrors! Sorry - I've just realised the children were playing with PLASTIC toys this day! Nevermind - that's reality. Some days are beautiful open-ended, imagination-inspiring natural toys, some days are PLASTIC.

Duplo has been part of our lives for 18 years now, so it would seem a little odd if our current batch of little boys didn't play with Duplo trucks, cars, people, fences and animals.

Duplo of course leads on to Lego. And Lego - despite being VERY hard to keep contained in one area, and VERY painful to step on in the dark of night - is BRILLIANT for children's mental development, fine motor skills, play experiences ... oh ... and it's fun.

God Bless
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A CUDDLY TOY

The local op-shop had a rack of four items of clothing for $1. I found a lovely striped skivvy there, washed it, cut it up and made this little guy for our little guy.

He loves him!


The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A BEAUTIFUL TOY!

Daddy made this beautiful recycled Rimu posting box for our littlest one. He loves it!

He likes to slide the lid on and off, he likes to post EVERYTHING through the biggest hole, or if he's feeling up to the challenge he will post the items through the most appropriate hole!

We regularly go around the house and find new things for him to post through the holes so the game has new challenges.

It's a wonderful toy that we cherish and will take care of so our grandchildren can play with it in years to come.

Let us know if you'd like a box like this, so you can collect beautiful things to post through the holes. :o)



Blessings
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A SCARF part 2

We're still using our beautiful silky scarves!

This time I looked at some little wooden napkin rings we had, and a sudden idea popped in to my head.

These two pirates had a fine game, and their "pirate hats" stayed on!

We just need to get Daddy to make us some swords now, our pirates have decided they want to be soldiers .... watch this space!


Blessings
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A WASHING MACHINE

We have the BEST toys for our children!

Little Baby Muffin Man loves to watch the clothes going around. I wonder what he's thinking.



Blessings
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A JOB TO DO

There have been studies done on what we already knew.

Children love doing jobs.

There is no need to go into all the technical terms they use for what happens in a child's mind and heart when they work - you just look at their faces. Listen to their conversation with you. They love working!

This little guy was only two-and-a-half when this photo was taken. He loves to cut carrots and apples.

Let me share how to teach a little one to do this job:


1. It's much easier if you have a child-sized table (like the ones we sell through Willow Cottage! As I write this the first table is being made for sale.)


2. It's also easier if they have a stool or chair the right size for them! (same!)


3. Have a chopping board and a sharp knife the right size for them. (we don't sell the knives sorry!)


4. Show them how to cut slowly and carefully, keeping their fingers out the way. They must cut the piece off and then push it to the side.


5. Show them how to keep things neat, and keep their working area tidy.


6. Help them to clean up afterwards.



And that's how.

But you already knew that didn't you!! It's good to be reminded of these things though.


We were just blessed by having some wonderful visitors staying. Just before they left for their new home Daddy cut some kindling for them to take with them. Several of the boys were out there watching, and collecting all the pieces to pile together. The visitors' little two year old guy presumed the kindling was to take into the house, so he collected a handful and very purposely toddled over the driveway, and with a big smile came into the kitchen and handed me his bundle of kindling. I was so touched by his diligence and thoughtfulness. His Mumma and Daddy have done some good training. :o)


Many blessings
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A BIG BROTHER

This is so precious to me.

17 year old playing quite naturally and happily with his 3 year old brother. They are real buddies.

I'm told this is quite common in home educating families.

I am so blessed. Thank you Lord for this family.



Blessings to you too
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A SCARF

Silk scarves are SO much fun.

Hunt in your local op-shop for some lovely colourful scarves for children of all ages!


Baby loves to

* chew them

* scrunch them up in their chubby little fists

* play "peek-a-boo" and "where has teddy gone?"

and

* roll on them after bathtime - feeling the silk on their skins.



Toddlers and older children may like to

* throw them

* wrap things in them, playing "presents for everyone!"

* make them into parachutes

* tents for teddies

* royal capes

* dessert headwraps

* bedding for a baby doll

* wrap to carry baby doll around in

* sling for a "broken arm"

* bandage for playing doctoring

* blindfold



Let their imaginations soar!


Blessings
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD BAKED BEANS

Once upon a time (this is a true, sad story) there was a little girl (we'll call her "S") whose Daddy worked full-time, and her Mummy also worked full-time. However, the happy thing was that Mummy and Daddy and S (who was 6 years old), at the time of this story, all lived in the same house. Unfortunately, some time later that wasn't the case.

The normal family routine was: Daddy left for work early in the morning; S got up and had breakfast with her Mummy; Mummy took S to school; later in the day Mummy went to work.

At the end of the school day a friend of mine (let's call her "L") collected S, along with L's own girl and boy, from school. They all went to L's house and played till it was time for S's Daddy to come and pick her up.

S and her Daddy would have junk food for tea; S would fall asleep in front of the TV around 9 or 10 o'clock and her Daddy would carry her to bed.

This whole thing was very, very sad to me.

But it got even sadder.

One day when S's Daddy came to pick her up from L's house, L and her family were just about to sit down to their tea.

"Can I stay here for tea?" asked S.

"No." said her Daddy.

"Why? I want what they're having."

"Come on. We're having McDonalds," said the Daddy.

They left, and L felt very heartbroken.

What was L's family having that S wanted so badly?

Baked beans on toast.

L and her family didn't have a lot of money, but they had a lot of love and time for each other. Maybe it was the love and the time, not just baked beans that S wanted.

I often think of that story when we have baked beans on toast.

I thought of it the other day when we had a lovely home-laid egg and baked beans on toast, so I took a picture to show the world, and encourage everyone to give lots of love and time to our children.


Blessings
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHLD SOME PAINTS

Imagine you were a child again.

And someone gave you some lovely art equipment.

Nobody told you to BE CAREFUL! DON'T SQUEEZE SO MUCH OUT! DON'T WASTE IT!

And you have a fantastic time. :o)


A few years back I had a book out of the library that encouraged me to Do Some Art! (very good book in some aspects but sadly, not so good in other ways).

I imagined what it would be like to walk into an art studio, and have someone say to me "There you go! Feel free to use anything you want! Play! Have fun!"

I was so enthused by this prompting, that I got all our 3-D paints out and we had a FANTASTIC time with them - we used them all up!

Of course, we need boundaries - we don't paint the deck, the dog, or PURPOSELY put paint all over our hair and clothes ...

But we really shouldn't use the word WASTE when it comes to art.

A child who is bored with art, or looking for attention in the wrong way, or left to themselves when they want company and direction may WASTE things - but the child who is engaged and enthralled by the materials and the process should be encouraged to USE all those goodies - paints, glue, paper, cardboard.

YES it's messy.

YES it requires set-up and clean-up.

YES it's much easier and better for everyone if you ALL set-up and clean-up together which requires training.

BUT PEOPLE!!!! I encourage you so much - GET BUSY WITH ART!!!!

If your child wants you to work alongside - be there.

If your child wants to be silent and uninterrupted - give them space.

If your child wants you to sit and watch - give them the gift of your time.



The "mess" that we made on coloured card with our 3-D paints that day, was carefully sorted out, and I kept the most pleasing artwork.

And the other day I dug out those 3-D paint splatters and look what we produced.


Blessings

The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A MATCHBOX

A lovely game to get the children out hunting for tiny little items in the garden.

How many different sorts of things can you find to fit inside a matchbox?




Miss Seven decided she wanted to draw some of those beautiful little things.




The fantastic selection of coloured pencils are Faber Castell - these are the best pencils we have found. Please don't buy your children cheap, scratchy pencils!!!


Blessings
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD SOME BELLS

We thought that five months old was just the right age for baby to have his first instrument.

The best part of this game, apparently, was pulling the socks off his feet!


Blessings
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD A JUG

When we provide beautiful things for our children (like this lovely chunky pottery jug) our children may surprise us with what they will do with that item.

What a work of art!

Blessings
The Mummalady

GIVE A CHILD SOME STICKS

Daddy made the children some sticks to play with.

The younger ones made fences for animals and a some simple towers.

When the little ones went to bed the big boys had a go with the sticks.



Clever boys!


Blessings
The Mummalady