How do you interact with your kids?

Elleinnz

Sounds as if your three kids actually all had fun with the crafts.- and all did what kids their age do (and need to do).....sometimes as parents we just need to forget "our rules" and go with the flow!! Give the 1 year old a stack of magazines or newspapers to rip up to their hearts content....

Give the 2 year old a stack of old paper to draw on - and let the 3 year old get on with creating crafts....

My son (now 30) still remembers the "camping" we used to do in the sitting room - chairs, cardboard boxes - blankets and sheets and we made tents - and would then have a picknic (our lunch or snack) in our tents....

zeeeb

my kids will colour in forever if i sit and do it with them, but not for long if i expect them to do it on their own. same with tea parties and playdough.

russellma

Read books... lots and lots of books! I had 3 kids in 4 years, and that was one thing I could do. You can also let the older ones be the "big" helpers by playing with the baby along with you... peek-a-boo, blocks, doing whatever it takes to make him/her laugh. You might all end up rolling on the floor!

I won't pretend that it's always easy or you'll never feel like pulling your hair out, but try to remember that this too shall pass!

ritajean3

playdough, visit the park, swimming, singing and dancing, go to a playgroup and learn what to do from the activities they have there and also your craft sounds fine 3 yo got what they needed, 2 yo was developing fine motor skills and 1yo was occupied and not screaming


you can also make goop (water and cornflour) and let them play with it outside, painting, kicking a ball around outside ect

JennW130

bubbles... everyone loves bubbles.... get 4 so there is no fighting, the one year old will drink it, the 2 year old will drink it, and the 3 year old will attempt to blow bubbles getting them all over their clothes.

and you will blow the bubbles and everyone else will chase them.

crafts, just get old magazines, cards, wrapping paper and cut them into small pieces and paste them onto something. it doesn't matter if it's drawing, pasting, ripping, whatever goes. don't stress about the mess or the end product, just let them enjoy creating, or ripping their own artwork.

music and dancing is always fun (and good exercise too). stick on some kiddie music and dance away, get a couple of hairbrush microphones going and you'll be set (until someone loses an eye).

it's the nature of the beast, they fight, they cry, they carry on, they interrupt, but occasionally they have some fun in between.

the music thing works in this house....i clean up...my 4 yr old uses the broom to sing and dance, and my 1 yr old...well she "dances" and claps and follows her brother...except its not kiddie music. But Nothing with any F bombs or anything. Just so they can go and destroy it all again.

deeharley

Edible play dough - Dry milk, peanut butter and honey - I used to know the specific recipe. It's like a cup of milk, 1/3 cup of peanut butter and a couple tablespoons of honey.

Anyway, all four of you can play or eat to your heart's content. My two youngest are 12 and 13 and now make it for themselves.

mmoyer1978

I think you're doing a fine job. They're not all going to like the same things all the time. I have two girls who are 2 & 4. I'm lucky because my youngest thinks the sun rises and sets on her big sister and therefore they like a lot of the same things. The problem I run into is that my 4yr old is really anal and thinks that the only way to do anything is her way. My 2yr old is more of a free spirit and does her own version of whatever her sister is doing. They butt heads a lot but they get along well for the most part. Trial and error is the way to go.

MrsSpratt

I think you need to lower the activity level as much as you can without completely ignoring the oldest one. Or adapt a project for the littlest one. For example, while your older two paint at the table, put the baby in the high chair and have him/her finger "paint" with chocolate pudding. Or, when baking cookies, prepare the dough while the youngest is napping then let all three decorate with sprinkles when nap time is over.

I agree with the suggestion to take walks and go to the play ground. Getting them out definitely helps. I only have two (20 months and 3.5 years) and I struggle to find activities they both can do. It is totally impossible to read to both of them at the same time. If I try to read to my son's level, my daughter tries to take over and point everything out and answer all my questions. If I read to my daughter's level, my son gets bored and grabs the book and tries to tear it.

JACLYN007

I have the same issue only my kids are 3 and 5. The best thing for us is playing outside, and singing and dancing, they love that!

EDesq

I know I am meeting their needs but sometimes I have no idea how to spend time with them. What I mean is, my kids are 1, 2 & 3 and they are all on different levels. However, I dont ever have the opportunity to spend time with just one. So, ive tried crafts and my 3 y/o loved it but my 1 year old ripped up all the paper and my 2 year old kept trying to color on everything...
I've tried ABC games, blocks, coloribg, baking, dolls... I just dont know what to do with all three.

Any ideas? Whatever I try becomes overwhelming and we end up stopping. They also wont sit still for movies.

Are you saying that you are giving all of them the same "Stuff" to do? If so, that's a mistake! Give each one what is on THEIR Own level. Why would you try to interject yourself into THEIR Play Time. This is a time that they are learning for themselves. Give them their thing, SEPARATE them and leave them alone UNLESS someone asks for help...

LATER on, you WILL get an opportunity to have ALONE time with each. But do not become their "Play Mate" or Dictator as they play. Play time is VERY Important to growing kids...they need to learn initiative, autonomy and ingenuity.

MrsSpratt

Also, yoga! I play yoga for kids videos on youtube and we all do them together. They love it.

cararq

Hmmm...I also have three kids, but they aren't as close in age as your's. Mine are now 10, 8 and 6. I homeschool them, so I interact with them during the day differently than I do during our afternoons/evenings.

When they were all younger than school age I remember doing little projects with them, and allowing them to do different parts of the project--whatever they could handle at their age. This time of year we spent a lot of time playing in leaves. I think kids at any age love it.

Do you allow them to "help" with chores in your house? My girls have always loved when I ask them to do a little task. And they enjoy the praise when they finish--whether it was done as neatly as I do it or not. Washing the bathroom sink, folding washcloths, etc.

Iwillshyne

If you are able to take them to the park or outside in the yard and run, chase, play, throw, ect with them. This way everyone is interacting with one another; no one is left out.

Try letting them take turns helping you prepare lunch: one gets the bread out, the other passes the jam, the other get the juice boxes ect. This teaches team work and trust me, they are never too young to start learning responsibility!
my Kids love to help; they fight over whose the best helper.

Turn on some fun music and dance around the house with them. Have a talent show with them: the person who can show me their best "silliest" dance will win a prize.

Have a pillow (gentle) fight.
DONT JUDGE US but We have food fights OUTSIDE on the patio of course. Pudding, whip cream, and water fights are sooo much fun! My motto: let kids be kids.

kikio79

Wow, Momma...that is hard. But here are some suggestions. Dance Time - Turn on some music and let them get out all that energy. Craft time should only happen when the two little ones are sleeping or in a highchair/booster seat, so that they cannot get to things they shouldn't. Always do craft time with lots of thinking involved. Have something for the little ones to keep their hands busy while doing a craft with the 3 yr old. Google fun inside activities for toddlers and see what you get. I could list a ton, but don't know what you are looking for.

Ex Daycare/Preschool Teacher

wickedcricket

I have stair-step kids. They're adults now but I remember how challenging it can be - here are a few suggestions. Make crafts with food, like stringing popcorn for decorations at christmas or popcorn balls - these are easy to make & safe for the little ones to taste. (they put everything in their mouths) mix equal parts flour & water, add about a 1/2 cup of corn starch and food dye and you can make edible finger paints - even a baby can play with this and again, won't hurt if they get it in their mouths.
Kids like dress up. Can go to a thrift store & pick up funny outfits, let them dress up - even 'act' if they want to. As mine got older they would write 'plays' and act them out.
If & when they can play outside, take them 'creeking'. Go into the woods, near a creek if you can & just explore. Let THEM explore, learn different types of plants - flip over rocks - things you take for granted will be new & interesting if you look at them through your children's eyes. My kids brought home a praying mantis once, we put it in a terrarium- they're creepy but interesting. They can catch a fly in mid air.
Teach your kids to swim. This is a crucial skill and now is a perfect time for them to learn, before they are too afraid.
I also had 'ettiquette' classes. I taught my children manners, how to eat with silverware - etc. I've often gotten compliments on how well- mannered they are - even now as adults they still are polite to elders and hold doors for females.
Now days they have washable markers for windows - my grandkids LOVE these - they spend hours drawing on my sliding patio door any time of year - I challenge them to 'draw santa claus' or an easter bunny.
Can play 'beauty parlor' let them style you and do your makeup. (NOT with markers tho)
At this age, they are sponges for flash cards. I suggest getting lots of flash cards and use them- ONLY for a few minutes. For a few minutes, they'll be eager to play - if you make it too long, they'll get bored or frustrated so just do it briefly, put them away for another time- soon the kids will be asking for them & eventually play with them on their own.
Go to the library and get a BROWNIE craft book or something like that. These have TONS of simple craft ideas even young children can do.
This is a perfect time of year to start crafts for Christmas- my kids LOVED giving gifts they had made themselves and they still will often give me little cards or something they've made. Crafting promotes concentration, hand/eye coordination AND encourages them to think creatively. Stimulate their brains and you've won the game
More challenging but also rewarding is to teach them another language. Before age 5, kids can learn languages much more easily- now is a perfect time to teach them Spanish, French or Italian. Sign language is universal and the baby can use this to communicate with you before she can talk. To this day, I can scold my children without saying a word LOL
Most of all, have fun and enjoy them- they grow up SO fast, i know you feel overwhelmed at times now but these days are SO brief and you won't believe how deafening the silence can be when they're gone. So take a deep breath, hold them close & kiss their sweet little faces as much as you can.

curvygirl512

Take them to the park. Swings and slides are great fun for any age. Also, water play. My daughter and her friends still love splashing around in the kiddie pool, running through the sprinkler, etc. Ultimately, tire their little adorable bodies out, put them down for a nap, and give yourself a chance to catch your breath. Raising three young kids can't be a walk in the park (pun intended).

bonjour24

my kids are (just) 5 (girl), 3 (boy) and 11 months (girl). my baby walks around after the older 2 and pretty much entertains herself- as long as she's with others, she's happy. i figure she's doing just fine, working out the world for herself!
my 3 and 5 year olds sometimes play well together, and other times rip each others hair out (literally). i try to make sure i get some good quality time in with them. we colour, bake, blow bubbles- that kind of thing. usually until a fight breaks out, then i'll step back!
i also try to make sure i get some 1 on 1 time with the kids. sometimes that means putting a movie on for 1 of them while i get the other to help me bake /cook/ read a story. or sometimes we'll throw on a film (especially when the weather's bad) and eat popcorn and all snuggle up together.
thing with having 3 kids that are so close together is that you just don't have enough knees for them all to sit on!
but our house is consistent chaos, and that will never change. you just get through the best you can, and do the best you can!

pain_is_weakness

sometimes we just have to take turns dong activites that each kid can do. If we just need to sit and read to the 1 yr old, then we explain to the older kids that it is his/her turn for an activity and this is what he/she can do.

If you need to take the older two to the park, pack the litte one in a wagon, stroller, on you, ect with some little toys and just let the older two have at it.

It is rough but in another year or so you will be able to do more things that they can all do.

Trust me I know we have a 13 yr old, 11 yr old, 6 yr old, and a 2 yr old and are in the process of foster-adopting a 1tr old 3 yr old and 4 yr old


yes that means 1,2,3,4, all in line ahhhhg!

pain_is_weakness

Also, it is good to interact with your kids, but the majority of my interacting just means I sit there with them and join in their imaginary world, playing with cars, lay age appropriate toys out for all of them and just sit with them all on the floor and go at it, I spend at least 4 hours a day doing this, another 1-2 hours on walks or at the park, 1 hour cleaning/cooking (i love nap time), and about 2 hours off and on listening to music (big hit here in our house) or watchign spongbob!

I clean the house every night after the family is in bed, prep all lunches and meals for the next day so that everything can be finished in 10-20 minutes

We pack a lot of lunches and eat them outside, front yard, park, ect, keep the mess out of the house and tires them so they nap well when we get home. Dinner is usually already prepped or in the crockpot so it take 10-20 minutes if that. breakfast is cereal during the week.

It is hard, but preschool starts in about a month here for me so i am looking forward to having a little lighter load

also, invest in a kiddie pool for your yard adn some outside toys, we play a lot outside, and in the winter, we just play in the garage if we can but this doesn't always work if it is too cold.

jenny95662

for me i have a 5 yr old and a 1 year old and what i do is sit on the floor and just play with the toys together or run around and play monster or tickle them, we sit and watch movies together (although son will go away after a little lol) i take them to the track when i go walking and then we go to the playground after i walk (while my daughter rides her bike) we color together, whatever i can do to be with them i do. Then on weekends we try to go outside or go places

I usually go to the gym and my daughter is in school or they go play at the gym they love that, then if not i workout at night after they are in bed and clean then too. If i have to clean in the day we put on music and dance together in between me cleaning (they dance the whole time lol) oh and we also sit and play ball or hot potatoe and stuff