I'm up in Maine right now, babysitting The Niece and The Nephew. It's approximately 22 degrees outside. I just made grilled-cheese sandwiches (slightly charred, but no one's complaining so far) and I have approximately nine minutes in which to choreograph a dance routine to "Boogie Wonderland" to keep us occupied this afternoon.
The Niece just asked "Aunt Trish, what do turtles say?" She then cycled through rabbits and camels and pretty much every other animal that probably makes some sort of noise....
Wish me luck...
5:00pm update: The children are now spontaneously cleaning their playroom. Not only did I not suggest this, I said, "No, I don't think so," when they asked if I'd like to help. They persevered without me, and now the blocks and cars and game pieces are being arranged in neat little piles. The Nephew just said to The Niece: "There are over 76 different rules of cleaning, so you can't possibly know them all..." When she questioned him, he admonished, "The more we talk, the less we can clean..."
I'm slightly concerned. I don't know a whole lot about parenting, but I'm fairly certain this is not normal child behavior, right? Have I ruined them???
17 comments:
Good luck! I hope you're having a great time despite the frigid weather.
What DO turtles say?
It's all about creative thinking, isn't it, Trish?
Good luck! You could always tell her turtles say Meh!
Speaking as a mother, just let them be! There probably are 76 rules of cleaning, but I don't want to know what they are!
Funny!! That's called great training:) Your sister must be good...:)
That is so funny!
They're being extra good and cleaning because... they're about to ask you for some ice cream or to watch some tv or some other treat. kids are clever like that!
Ha! Reminds me of a brutal road trip my mom and I took with my brothers when they were in elementary school still and I was out of college. Just when we thought we'd kill them both, the younger boy blurted out, "I know, let's play a game--let's see who can be quiet the longest!" Mom and I both swore that his guardian angel had momentarily taken over his body for his own protection.
Oh my gosh - can your sister come to my house to train my child? That is amazing! I love your nephew's comments. It could also be that they're doing this just for you. My boy acts a lot different with my mom and my sister than he does with me. Sounds like either way you're a good influence! :-) Have fun!
Screw it, ruin them away. And then ship them down to Philly to clean my place. I'll even make them grilled cheese sandwiches.
I don't think turtles make a noise, right?
I think your niece and nephew have been taken over by aliens, you might want to run. Congrats on the grilled cheese though, seems like the cooking is coming along.
Man kids do say the darndest things! How cute.
No wonder I can't get my apartment fully clean. I don't know rule number 76.
Can I get a list of the 76 rules of cleaning?
I would like to pass them on to my Middle School kids. They think the only rule of cleaning is that the janitor will pick it up :-)
Dude, if that's what you call ruined? Please feel free to come ruin my children. And no. It's not normal behavior. I'm thinking it had something to do with it being St Patrick's Day and they somehow exhibited a child's version of irrational behavior that is usually attributed to adults on this day.
I'm totally making that up. But it sounds pretty plausible when I type it out like that...
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