Well, so much for blogging 3 times a week. Life has been full lately, so obviously family comes before my little blog. I have been thinking on the phases that little ones go through. Moms all know what I am talking about... during the time that they are going through them it seems like the end of the world or the most frustrating experience EVER! For instance, teething or not eating, changing their sleep patterns, being clingy. Currently, some of our little phases (most of them are towards Owen) are Owen's new wake up time. The past two mornings he has been rising at the lovely hour of 6:30! That is too early in our house. I have things to do before they get up. I "plan" for them to get up at 7:30, which is usually the case, but not the past two mornings. Naturally, this can be frustrating because it does take away from some of the mornings things i do before they get up, but I have to remember that it is just a phase and he has done this before and he will go back to sleeping later. And if for whatever reason he doesn't I will just adjust my schedule. And then the ever changing eating habits. Owen will have wonderful days of eating and then weeks of only wanting bread, oatmeal, fruit, yogurt and of course anything that has sugar in it! These are the frustrating days for me. I so value a good healthy diet for my family, so for him not to get those wonderful greens that I cook or good fiber and protein from a yummy lentil burger my mind can go crazy! (i could insert here various tips i have found on eating and toddlers, but that is another post) And then let us not forget the "clingy" phase. Owen still cries and cries in the nursery at church or if we are at an unfamiliar place and I leave the room... flips out! With all these things that Owen is going through my main encouragement is that my Lord is to be trusted in all of them. He cares greatly about these things and He comforts me through them... the small and the big. Also, that these are things they just have to grow out of... I am doing things to help Owen eat better, I am helping him to stay in the nursery. For me it also shows that he still greatly needs me and needs to be near to me. One disclaimer, I do think you have to be careful in claiming a behavior as just a phase. Disrespect, tantrums or any other unacceptable behavior should not be simply written off as a phases. While it may be a phase it still needs to be handled and administered with the proper disciple to help the child grow and learn that that behavior is not acceptable at anytime.
I cannot leave out my little Eden bug, currently her little phase is dressing herself. And let me tell you she is a fashion forward little girl. She will come up with some of the craziest little outfits that I just cannot let her walk out in public in. At the same time I do help her in picking out her clothes and I am really trying to give her the independence she wants in deciding what she is going to wear. But it is SO hard for me. I love love picking out her cute little dresses and hairbows!!
Do you have currently have any little phases you are going through with your kiddos? Let this time be a learning time and not a frustrating time. I understand I am right in the middle of many :)
Eden in one of her many crazy outfits, don't you just love the white leg warmers and Christmas socks!
Owen only eating cornbread at dinner last night, but he sure did love that cornbread
I remember the clingy phase. D went through that around 16 - 18 months! Now he is in the help Mommy do everything phase. :)
ReplyDelete7:30! I would love it if my kids would stick to 6:30. Sometimes Micah is up before 6. Yikes! Micah is in a monkey phase (thank you Curious George). Climbing everything! I have to remind him that little monkeys have to obey too. He is also getting in our bed most nights. Nothing I have tried has helped. It is precious cuddle time, but I find myself not as well rested when I've been kicked and balanced on the edge of the bed all night. He just does not want to sleep in his room. Any tips?
ReplyDeleteSorry it took me a while to reply! We had a hard time with Eden and bedtime. It has just been recently that we have seen great improvement. Her issue was more of getting up right after we put her down. She would get up 5 or 6 times before she finally went to sleep. Don and I saw this as a huge disobedience issue. And that her behavior and her heart needed to be addressed. We just had to stick with being consistent in disciplining her. Every time she got up we would have to discipline her. It was exhausting, but it has paid off and she understands now when mommy and daddy put her to bed she stays in the bed. I could talk more on our failures with it and how long it took, but that is why we need to hang out soon, so we can catch up. :)
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