Mac Declares his Love for Upsy Daisy

Mackinley turns his nose up at the notion of gender specific toys and openly declares his love for Upsy Daisy.
Iggle Piggle is thought to be a little blue about being upstaged, but refrained from making comment.

Second and Proud

Did MegaDob want first in the 2011 MegaDumyat?

Of course.

But given the amount of training he's been (un)able to do, and given the formidable worthiness of his competitors, he was delighted with second.

A wet, muddy night saw Steven take the title again. Well done to MegaSmith!

MegaDob, there's alway 2012 - year of the MegaDumyat Olympics (the Scottish version)!

"How to Talk so Your Kids Will Listen ..." Part Two: Developing Autonomy

Well, we haven't thrown out the book.  We're still identifying too heavily with the cartoons on "the left", as oppose to those on "the right" (the right ones offering innovative alternatives to "because I said so" which -when used in our home- spirals Sav into Savage rebellion...just ask Glen about their falling out over something tiny escalating into the loss of trampoline privileges until Sav's 100).

But it's fair to say that I looked at the chapter on "developing autonomy", and felt confident that in Sav's case, I could just give it a skim.

So that your child doesn't experience helplessness, frustration and anger - being overdependent on parents all of the time -  offer choices (ha! that's why we're in this toddler mess!), show respect for a child's struggle, don't ask too many questions or rush to answer questions, don't take away hope...and my favourite - encourage children to use sources outside the home.  Sav's taken the last one to a level way beyond asking the dentist if it's ok to chew gum:

"Excuse me, lady in aisle 7 of the grocery store, can you help me with my jumper?  My mom tried but she's struggling."

"Excuse me, man on corner smoking pipe, can you fix my bike?  Mom's not a very good tinker and dad's at work."

On the trampoline front - of course it's rained and been miserable out the whole time Sav's been banned.  Then in the midst of a rare dry patch, I took Savvy to the farm for a play with friends where there are two giant tramps.  She raced to one, kicking shoes off as she approached and shouting at me over her shoulder..."Dad never said ALL of the trampolines"...

June 2011 - A month of firsts

June 2011- A month of firsts:
-Mac's first bite of solid food
- Sav's first sleep in her loft
- Sav and Mac's first night sharing a room
- Mac's first night sleeping through 10pm-7am (it was while camping and sadly wasn't to be repeated)
- First day with Amy, the new nanny (this wed coming)
- First jump on the new trampoline (pictured)
- First play in the wendy house (also pictured)
- First snorkel - underwater swimming's gonna run in this family

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads!

"How to Talk so Your Kids Will Listen and Listen so Your Kids Will Talk"...or not...

In an effort to take our parenting skills to the next level (level 1 out of 100), Glen and I have been reading the above book. Particularly important for managing the four year old in our family.

The book is great. Instead of communicating in a way that leads to lying, anger or fear, the book offers ideas for using language to nurture self esteem, cooperation and mutual respect.

But putting the concepts into practice has been tough.

This morning's stalemate was about putting on a helmet. After loads of screaming about the helmet and taking it off even after we've tried to adjust it...I tested out some ideas from the book-

For the purposes of this therablog (therapy through blogging), a "cycle" as referenced below includes

• several time outs, 4 minutes each in length
• quite a bit of awkward backbreaking restraining of a very mad child in the time out corner
• I confess, a dramatic, desperate, and failed attempt to force a helmet on to said mad child (in front of neighbours, of course)

Acknowledge the child's feelings and empathise: Sounds like your helmet is really bugging you. Ouch. No good. And you don't like things messing up your hair, do you? That buckle really bugs your chin, hey?...

-many cycles later-

Use fantasy: I wish I could make the streets safe so that no helmets were needed. Or that you could have a helmet made of feathers and fairy dust.

-many cycles later-

Describe the situation: You are refusing to wear your helmet and we can't leave until you change your mind.

-many cycles later-

Provide information1: Helmets are necessary when riding bikes. And you are riding your bike today so that Dad can pick you up on his bike and you can zoom home together in time for tea.

-many cycles later-

Provide information2: When we take extra time in the morning to discuss helmets etc, we are late, leaving less time to play at the end of the day.

-many cycles later-

State expectations: I expect you to take the necessary steps for getting to nursery nicely, and that includes wearing your helmet.

-many cycles later-

Describe how you are feeling: This issue over the helmet is making mom frustrated and cross. I don't like my time being wasted and it bothers me when we don't work as a team to get to school nicely.

-many cycles later-

Be short. Don't lecture: Savvy - HELMET

-many cycles later-

Consequences1: Savvy, if you don't put your helmet on, we will no longer have time for outdoor play after nursery.

-many cycles later-

Consequences2: Savvy, if you don't put your helmet on, we will no longer have time for pudding.

-many cycles later-

Consequences3: Savvy, if you don't put your helmet on, we will no longer have time for bedtime stories.

-many cycles later-

So as not to nurture a vengeful psychopath, provide a means for making amends: Savvy, there is a way to make this better. Tomorrow is a new day and you can get ready for swimming nicely in the morning so that you can have time for outdoor play, pudding and stories tomorrow.

-many cycles later-

At all cost, avoid punishment. It doesn't work in the long term: "Savvy, if you don't put your helmet on, you can't go to your friend's party on Saturday. Ok, then as well, your favourite dress will go to charity. Ok, now your favourite jumper. Ok, now your favourite coat...[helmet goes on at the 3 hour mark]...Well done, we get to keep the coat then".

Oops. Wasn't suppose to resort to punishment.

Truth be told, I might have started with this last one if I wasn't reading this book and on maternity leave with the 3 hours in the morning to spare but seem to have ended up there anyway. Might not be effective for the long term, but today, it was all I had left in my toolbox.

Obviously need to keep reading....

Thursday Morning Drama

I just had a three hour stand off with a four year old. There were no winners. Only losers.

Go Canucks!

Aunt Lynnie insisted on evidence to show Dob was wearing his Canucks t-shirt in support of Vancouver's hockey team who are all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals with a big (BIG) game tonight.

Meanwhile Mega and Ash are sporting their new helmets. Nope - not horse back riding or rock climbing. These are the new bicycle helmets. Not too sure on the look (dorky!?) but very comfy.

The World is in Safe Hands...

...That's what Aunt Lynnie tells us. And we believe her. Especially after watching the lipdub her Macnair High School students put together to celebrate their school. So much creativity and passion and enthusiasm. Lovely to watch.

PS - Lynn is the one in the theatre department handing over the mic through the exit door.

Family Photo - Guess Where Competition

Who can guess - which family shot is taken in Fort William, and which one in Lanzarote?

Fort William World Cup 2011

As per usual, we took to the hills on the first weekend in June to watch what is rated as the best mountain bike world cup in the series. A bit rushed getting to Fort William coming straight from "Spain", but well worth it.

Future racer?

Gondola fun. Did loops to watch the racers on their course.

A lovely hippy-run wild campsite. The onsite party/rave at night was loud but pretty cool and woodstocky too. There was a bbq, friends for Savvy, dancing, drinking, and lots of snogging (you know who you are).

Lanzarote Extras...

Sav was in love with the beach. In true love.

Mac joins us on the pedal boat.

Bury the baby. A classic. (Just kidding - it's Savvy under there!)

Scottish lad seeking shade. Will pay.

Sav has some serious speed with the flippers on.

A rare moment when you see dob in water, but not under water.

Tex Mex night at one of the resort's many iffy restaurants. Still, nice not to have to cook/clean!

Cute Mommy-Mac time.

Mac on Holiday

Mac travels well. We really can't complain. But on a warm beach holiday, a baby is just 15lbs of hot sweaty lug. Too hot? Where's the shade? Time for a nap, no time to feed? Is he sleeping? Is that a sun rash on our white Scottish lad? ...
Really all we wanted to be thinking was: where's my beer and where's my ice cream!?!?

First sandy step.

First sea dip.

First beach nap.

Cute Little Brother with Sis in background.

Lemme outta here.

Outdoor tummy time on the balcony.

I really really wanna crawl.

Scaring off the predators before our snorkel.

Savvy on Holiday

Savvy was in heaven. She loved the Kids Camp, the swimming lessons (once she chose the right pool), the sand, the trampoline, and -of course- the ice cream.

Dad is at the bottom, I promise.

The Best Snorkeling Ever

With Savvy in Kids Camp and Mac in the crèche, each morning, Dob and I took to the sea for our free 90 minutes and did some of the best snorkeling ever. The sea was so clear, the fish so bright and plentiful. I could watch Glen from above, drop 5m+ to do a few tricks. Of course, his under water antics my be the cause of our camera failure...