Monday, May 15, 2017

Ten Reasons It's Awesome Having Older Kids

I have three kids. Two are close in age, the third drags behind five years. All of them have their strengths and weaknesses.

I'll be the first to admit that I had a hard, read extremely difficult, when my first two were in their formative years. There was depression, a lot of upheaval, change and the general chaos of having a set of boys that were just shy of two years apart. Pair that with a mom who had NOT A CLUE how to be a parent, and it was a recipe for disaster.

My third kid has the fortune of being five years behind her brothers. All the mistakes and whoopsies made the first two times have been corrected. The hubs and I have figured out what really matters to us. Manners, yes. Limiting screen time, depends on the day.

Now that they are all thru their first year of school, here's a list of why it's awesome having kids out of the preschool stage.

10. They can do things for themselves. A lot of things. From turning on their shows thru our Wii U to making a sandwich, I don't have to do ninety percent of what I did back in the day.

9. They can do chores. There's whole websites dedicated to letting you know what's age appropriate for your child. Laundry, the dishes, sweeping, dusting and so on. The list is endless. As creative as you want to be, there is a chore your kids can do. Just let go of your perfectionist tendencies to fix what your kid has done.

8. They ask interesting questions. Your kids hit school and all of a sudden they are exposed to SO MANY different opinions. Teachers, other students, aides, secretaries and principals, each one has a different idea about the world. Your kid is going to ask you about it. That opens up doors to all kinds of great conversations. Just practice that non-threatening non-judgmental face to keep the questions coming.

7. They know the house rules. You've spent the first six years of your kids life reminding them about each step of their day. Putting on shoes, getting ready for bed, meal time expectations. One day, it all clicks in their sweet little brains. Trust me, you will eat a meal that doesn't end in tears.

6. Your kids might outgrow being picky. This is not a guarantee. It also has a lot to do with what you have allowed up to that point as far as meals. We have an age=bites rule. That is, for however many years old they are, that's how many bites they have to take. I like weird food, so if you don't want to starve, eat what's expected. Usually their's a treat if they can do it without complaining.

5. You can leave the house and let them stay home. This is for the middle school crowd. Having to only get one kid out the door vs. three is amazing.

4. The movies/television shows get more interesting the older your kids get. Instead of vegging out during an episode of some Nickelodeon cartoon, you can sit up with interest for an episode of Young Justice.

2. Eating out gets more expensive, but also more enjoyable. Enjoy those kids meals while you can. Given how cheap they are it's okay that 3/4ths lands on the floor. Once your kids can eat a six ounce sirloin, baked potato and a veggie without complaint they can also do so without throwing it on the floor for kicks. Also, you can have a conversation with them that doesn't involve a bodily function. Usually.

1. CELEBRATE!! Every stage our kids go thru is another one that brings new challenges and triumphs. Yes, it's sad when our kids age out of Crocs being cute, nursery rhymes and blankies. But let's not sit just in the sadness of the last stage. We can rejoice at the new freedoms our kids have and also the ones we ourselves will experience!

2 comments:

  1. Great list! My daughter is ten, and I am really finally getting to enjoy her. I mean, I enjoyed her when she was younger as well, but I mean, I can actually sit down with her, have an engaging conversation with her, and she is even a great travel companion. I love that she is independent and can feed and dress herself, and oftentimes without much prompting. I wish I had more kids!

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  2. Nova, Thanks for the comment! I think ten is a great age. Old enough to know the lay of the land, but young enough to avoid the angst of the teenage years. Enjoy your travels!

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