Time

[dancerjodi]

I'm not sure why this week in particular I have been thinking more about how time just rushes by. It takes most of what we've got to get through a day and then another week is gone. I feel like generally we do a good job of time management and really enjoying and living our lives. Still, 'the grind' pushes it along quickly. I think I need to focus more on reducing the grind and really appreciating the little, more mundane things. Making the best out of my commute. Listening to great music while I'm running queries. That kind of thing.

Also, I need more exercise! The dance classes are a part of my regular schedule, but I need to fit other things in there too. The warmer weather will help with this a bit, but I need to stop using a New England winter as my excuse. I've been feeling more creaky and almost arthritic lately! WTF! I'm blaming my lack of regular exercise for it (when I do jump in to work out I think I may be pushing it too much, and putting strain in my knees). I have ballet class tonight assuming we don't get barraged with a ton of snow and it gets cancelled.

We watched the Happiest Toddler on the Block DVD http://www.amazon.com/Happiest-Toddler-Block-Cooperative-Four-Year-Old/dp/0553384422 last night (borrowed from the library). It was good to see that his suggested techniques are things that we are already doing for the most part; we just hadn't thought much about how or why they work, and we probably aren't doing them so mindfully, and thus we aren't being consistant about it. He suggests that toddlers are really little cavemen/neanderthals in their actions, emotions, movements and ability to communicate. What is most important to them is that they are heard and respected. The caregiver's job is to speak their language to them (toddlerease) when they are having a tantrum or things are escalating, using little words, repetition, and emotions/movements/facial cues that mimic them. This way, they can see that you understand what they are feeling, and you are acknowledging it. And THEN, move on to distract, redirect, remove or whatever. It was not as mind-blowing of an experience as much as the Happiest Baby Book and DVD was. I'm not sure if that's because Toddlers are less complicated or because we (for now) appear to have a good handle on ours.

I'm reading the Dr. Sears Discipline book also http://www.amazon.com/Discipline-Book-Better-Behaved-Child-Birth/dp/0316779032/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362679228&sr=1-1&keywords=dr.+sears+discipline+book. Thus far, it is interesting to get their perspective and tips, and similar to Happiest Toddler, nice to see that for the most part we have been going down this road without knowing the label for it. The jury is out as to whether or not I'll buy this book to keep as a reference for down the line. I'm not too far into it.

Soon http://www.amazon.com/MINIMALIST-PARENTING-Enjoy-Modern-Family/dp/1937134342/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362679245&sr=1-1&keywords=minimalist+parenting will show up on my Kindle, and I am excited to get into that one.

I seem to go through phases of all non-fiction all the time and all fiction all the time. I think the weather, the darkness is making me feel antsy, and that making some minor changes may go a long way with our ease and satisfaction in life.

Comments

[nepenthedreams]

I remember feeling that way about Happiest Toddler too. Now of course infants are complete mysteries since they are brand new to us - and we can't talk to them the way we can talk to toddlers. But I will say, his advice has resonated differently at different ages. 18 months was one challenge, and 36 months was another different challenge. Overall though I don't think these years are nearly as hard as people describe. And a lot more fun than the word "terrible twos" lets on.