Running low on kisses

Really, who needs an excuse to kiss a child?

ADDED March 24, 2008

Often on a lazy Saturday I like to play this game with my kids, they will be playing outside and I will call them over, look them up and down, feign concern and say, “ You look like you are running a little low on kisses, Let me fill you up”. Then I will grab them and kiss them non-stop while they wiggle and try to get away. After a few seconds I’ll let them continue with what they were doing. A few minutes later I will call them over again and begin my charade all over.

Once they are “wise” to my antics, I resort to chasing and kissing them and that too is fun. This game also works well with adults, I like to play it with my Beautiful Wife but she does not like the chasing part as much as the kids do.

Stretch Out Your Hands As Wide As They Go

ADDED March 19, 2008

Sometimes you sense your kid is at loose ends and has a lot of (potentially dangerous) 'undirected energy.' This type of situation, if left unchecked, leads to an episode of crayon drawing on the wall, throwing food, or otherwise being a pill.

This simple "repeat after me" game, with accompanying gestures, is good for diverting the kids for a few minutes.

Tell your child these words, and add some rhythm to your voice. (If you've ever done a group 'cheer' at a high school pep rally, that type of rhythm will probably work well for you here.)

Stretch out your hands as wide as they go
And clap, clap, clap, clap.
Stretch out your hands as wide as they go
And wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. [wiggle your fingers]

As you say the words, show your children the gestures. And have them move their arms as they repeat after you.

The next bit is:

Stretch out your hands as wide as they go
And swim, swim, swim.
[pretend to swim by doing strokes in the air]
Stretch out your hands as wide as they go
And drive the car, drive the car, drive the car.
[energetically jerk an invisible steering wheel]
Honk, honk, honk!
[pretend to shove the horn on the steering wheel]

Young kids seem to really enjoy this activity. Let's just hope it doesn't put them on the path to a future hobby of Jazzercise.

All the change in my pocket

Great way to help kids learn how to count money.

ADDED March 18, 2008

Often at a restaurant the final minutes of the meal are the worst part of the evening. The “helpful servers” have made sure that the kids meals are served 10 minutes before the adults assuring that the end of the meal will be more about crowd control then eating. What I will often do in those final minutes while I am trying to enjoy the last bite of my fish taco is ask if they would like to count all the change in my pocket. They always do.

While they are happily counting and sorting away I am able to finish my meal and take a possibly chaotic situation and turn it into a teachable moment.

 

If your kids are too young to understand the concept of counting money they can sort them by size or color. Just make sure they don’t take the money, and if they do, make them pay.