Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU SCREAM
Life is not perfectly calm when you have little ones around you. Sometimes they get beside themselves and begin to act out very negatively. The worse they get, the more frustrated you get until you are ready to shout and yell, or spank them all!
But wait a minute. Before you scream, try an alternative. There are better options to calm them down.
1. CHILDREN LOVE SURPRISES
"Children, Mommy is going to give you a surprise! I want you all to hide behind the sofa and wait. No one looking!" Then arrange a little plate for each one with perhaps cut apples, pieces of cheese, raisins, a cookie you have made, or whatever they like. Make them into the shape of a smiley face.
"Okay, children, come for your surprise!" Although it is only simple, a little surprise and a little food in their stomachs makes a huge difference.
2. CHILDREN LOVE STORIES
"Come children, let's read a story." Gather the children all around you, cuddle them up tight, and read a couple of stories to them. I found that this never failed to calm my children. Can you guess that we had story time quite frequently throughout the day?
3. CHILDREN LOVE TO GET OURSIDE
"Children, let's go outside for a little walk." Take them all out to look at the birds, the butterflies, or any insects, lizards, or salamanders you can find. Ten to fifteen minutes outside will also change their behavior and they'll come inside with refreshed spirits.
4. CHILDREN NEED SLEEP
Sometimes when a child, or all the children, are bouncing off the walls, we forget that they may be tired and no longer know how to control themselves. Perhaps they just need a sleep.
With most of these little alternatives, you have to stop what you are doing! That's the secret. Children become more difficult to handle when you are engrossed in something you are doing. To stop and spend a little time with them makes all the difference.
Love from Nancy Campbell
You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be--
I had a Mother who read to me.
~ The Reading Mother by Strickland Gillilan
