The Not-So-Terrible Twos

Apr 21, 2012


New parents are always warned of the "Terrible Twos", the period in which your toddler is recognizing his own autonomy, trying to assert his will to make things go his way, and exploring the world.  When I was a young mom of just one, I readily accepted that label as accurate. But as time marched on and we reached three years old, and then four, I realized that two was not that bad. Once I had a couple more kids under my belt, I realized that the twos are not at all terrible, as long as you practice the Four Ps of Parenting.

Prayer
Pray daily for guidance, patience, peace of mind, your child's safety, and forgiveness when you mess up. Because you will mess up. Parenting is hard and we need to rely on our Heavenly Father to help us with this tremendous task.

Be Prepared
  • Batten down the hatches! Secure heavy and tall furniture to the wall. Your toddler will most likely try to climb it. Children are seriously injured and killed by falling televisions and furniture every year.
  • Never leave the house without diapers or extra underwear, wipes, and an extra set of clothes and shoes. Your toddler will find the only mud puddle around, sit in mashed potatoes at the restaurant, or develop a nasty tummy bug while you are shopping.
  • Keep small snacks, toys, or board books in your purse or bag for trips outside the house.
  • Your toddler will throw a fit in public at some point. Don't get pulled into the drama. First, check to make sure he is not ill or hurt. Then, stay firm and calm and carry on about your business if possible. If that is not remotely possible, pack him up and abort your mission. 
  • You are going to clean up a LOT of spills, messes, and potty training accidents. Just accept it now and keep a large supply of old rags and towels handy. Use the opportunity to teach him how to clean up.
Be Proactive
  • Expect that your toddler will act poorly when he is tired, hungry, or sick. Plan your outings around meal times and nap times.
  • "No" is the word, at least for a time, so offer choices when you can. It really is okay to let them wear cowboy boots with shorts when you are going to the grocery store.
  • Protect your child from well-meaning friends and relatives who invade your little one's personal space. Don't force your child to let someone else hold him or kiss him if he's scared or uncomfortable. Give him time to warm up to them on his own.
  • Two year olds do not usually like to share yet. Teach him about sharing by practicing at home and encouraging it when with other children, but don't force it.
  • Learn the art of distraction. I always keep a bottle of bubbles in the kitchen because they are like magic for soothing the savage toddler. Figure out what changes your little one's course or stops him in his tracks when he is determined to cause chaos.
Be Patient
According to Dictionary.com, patience is the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.
Your little one will feel secure and learn by example when you remain as calm as possible. It's okay to let them see that you are upset, but refrain from having your own tantrum. Yes, I know, easier said than done sometimes. M2 tests my patience daily. Just last week, we were waiting to pay at Crackle Berry and M2 chucked his cup of water at LJ. It busted open when it hit the floor and got me and the lady in front of us. I quickly apologized, but everyone was very understanding. Later the same day, he impulsively threw and broke a plate on the wood floor. As a seasoned boy mom, these things are minor annoyances because I know that messes are easily cleaned up and this stage will pass. It also helps to close my eyes and take a few deep breaths before reacting. :)

What tips do you have for getting through the not-so-terrible twos?


Linked to Titus 2 Tuesday.

Life With Boys Link-Up

Apr 15, 2012




lifewithboys
 

Being a mom is hard work. Being a mom of boys is also an adventure. If you are a mom of boys, whether it be 1 or 10, you know that they can see things a lot differently than we do. Life with boys can get very interesting (and messy and loud and unpredictable and sweet and funny and...). Sometimes, a mom just needs to share it with someone who can appreciate it. Like other mommas with hairy-legged, bear-hugging, bug-loving, risk-taking, on-the-go boys.

Link up your posts and share with us the joys and perils of your life with boys, whether it be about feeding, teaching, training, entertaining, or just loving them. Link directly to your post and keep it family-friendly, please. Don't have a blog? Leave a comment. As you skip through and read about other mommas and their boys, please leave comments to encourage and uplift.

Please link back here or grab the Life with Boys Link-Up button from my sidebar 
so other boy moms can join us!

Welcome! {2012 Ultimate Blog Party}

Apr 13, 2012




Ultimate Blog Party 2012

Welcome to Raising Knights! 

Thank you for stopping by! My name is Christy and I am a homeschooling mom to five boys, tot to teen. I write about a wide variety of things here. You will find my thoughts on and experiences with raising boys (sorry, I don't know anything about raising girls other than from being one), homeschooling, reviews, household tips, and any deals that strike my fancy.

Things have been quiet for a while here, but that's getting ready to change...as soon as I get a new computer. :) We have been waiting on our interest-free loan payment from the government tax refund. I'm writing this post on my husband's "work" computer and it's just not the same. I don't want to upload pictures or anything to it, so I'm limited in what I can do right now.

2012 is a year of big numbers for me.

  • To kick the year off, my baby turned two, which means he's technically not a baby any more, and my second-born son turned 13, which means we now have two teenagers.
  • The next big number will happen in July, when my oldest turns 18, the "official" age of manhood. He will be able to vote in his first presidential election, meaning one more vote for the conservatives!
  • In September, I will be four decades old...yes, the big 4-0. That's all I'm going to say about that.
  • Then the very next month, Papa Bear and I will celebrate our 20th anniversary! It's hard to believe that I have spent half of my life with him. What a roller coaster ride it has been! But definitely one I would do again.
How about you? Do you have any big things happening this year?

Oh! I almost forgot! Be sure to enter the giveaways over at 5 Minutes for Mom. I'm giving away a $25 gift certificate for Child ID & Safety products from To Love and Protect. It's about half way down this page. Have fun!




It's Almost Here! 2012 Ultimate Blog Party

Apr 5, 2012


Ultimate Blog Party 2012
 
Mark your calendar now for a week filled with awesome blogs and tons of amazing free prizes! Be sure to look for my prize offering - a $25 Gift Certificate for Child ID & Safety Products from To Love and Protect. You could use it to get Child ID Kits for all of your kids or a couple of Child Safety ID Wristbands for your next family outing. I even reactivated my Twitter account for this, so follow me (Raising_Knights). Even if it's only to laugh at how inept I am at it...if I ever remember to tweet. Don't forget - April 13-20!


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