We humans have a strong tendency to hold a grudge. When my kids start acting crazy, I have a hard time getting in a better mood and moving on.  However, experts say this is very important, especially for self-esteem.  The authors of Parenting with Love and Logic Magic, The Early Years, stress the importance of moving on after a time-out.  The kid has paid the price and they shouldn't have to continue to pay the price all day just because Mom is in a foul mood now.

I had to really become super-human yesterday to put this into practice.  I caught Munchkin Girl pinning Little Buddy's head to the couch while I was making lunch for them.  She had a mischievous grin on her face, and she knew full-well what she was doing.  I'd already warned her that if she did it again she was headed for a time-out, but after she was finished with her punishment, I found that my blood was still boiling.

I knew we needed to re-direct our energy or I would never be able to move one in a nice way.  I pulled out her all-time favorite project: Christmas sprinkles.  We've used these in the past many times to work on letters, but I thought I would try something new since this was a unique situation.

First I traced my hand for her to show her what to do.  Since she's done this sort of thing before, she knew just what to do.  She used the glue to trace what I'd done, then she asked for the sprinkles.  I always use this foil tin to catch the mess.  My daughter was thrilled and I was thrilled to see her lovely smile instead of her evil grin.  She absolutely loves this game and it was the perfect way to move on after a time-out.

After she finished my hand, she traced her own hand and did the glue and sprinkles.  Squeezing glue is always good for fine motor strength.

Then we moved to her foot and my foot.

Then she begged to do it with her doll, and I thought "Why not?"  She held her down while I traced around her.  I even added the doll's name and this turned out to be the most favorite finished product of the afternoon!

If you enjoyed this post, you will love our book!  I teamed up with former Kindergarten teacher, Susan Case, and we released The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble, and Motivated to Learn in July, 2012.  If you have ever tried to cook dinner while your kid clings to your leg and cries, this is the book for you!  We give you a Mom's point of view and a teacher's point of view, so that you can do activities that not only keep the kids busy, but also keep them motivated to learn and develop their natural curiosity.  Kids behave better when they are given challenging projects to work on, which will in turn give you more free time to do the things you really need to do, like washing dishes, paying bills, and relaxing so that you can be a better Mom!

Sometimes I'm so worried about whether my kids got enough breakfast and whether I put on sunscreen, that I forget that life isn't always going to be like this. My kids will be grown-ups someday.  I got a special glimpse into that this week.

My best friend Dani has been one of the few constants in my life.  Neither of us has sisters, and I truly feel that she is the special sister that life has given me.  However, she is a moron and decided to move away from her friends and family.  Okay, now before you yell at me, I'm just kidding.  I guess this doesn't make her a moron, but it sure makes me sad because she is very funny.  Here we are at my own rehearsal dinner and she was the Maid of Honor:

Dani has been visiting her parents for the last few weeks and we have gotten to see each other several times.  The kids have played together since her little girl is three and is right in the middle of my kids' ages.  The three of them are like three little peas in a pod....until Little Buddy decides to start growling at the girls and acting like a "Monster" and then they run away screaming, but that is a different story.

So, the last time we saw each other, I said, "Okay, what should we plan for next week?"

She replied, "I can't!  We leave on Sunday!"

"B-b-b-but, I thought we had another week!  I'm going to miss you guys so much!" I sputtered.  We hugged and said our good-byes and I got the kids strapped into their seats and we went on our separate ways.

As we were driving home, Munchkin Girl started kicking my seat and yelling "Mommy!"

"Yes?" I said.

"Mommy I'm sad for you," my daughter said.  "I don't want your special friend to leave.  That will make you too sad."

And that's how I got a glimpse into my grown-up daughter.  I suddenly saw vividly how my daughter could support me.  She wasn't worried about her own friend leaving (although she is obsessed with Ella and talks about her constantly).  She was worried for me and her concern for me truly touched me.  Plus, I'm so thrilled that she has learned the importance of having a good friend.  She has seen how much Dani means to me.  I really don't want these early days to end because I love picking out her outfits and hearing her say funny things, but it's nice to know that I have a lot to look forward to as well.

I also want to say thank you so much to all of you out there!  I love writing my blog and I love having so many visitors!  I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the support on my book too!  I have been so honored by all the wonderful comments we have gotten!  One of my favorites was from Dawn@Prickly Mom:

Love your book! Seriously, I rate it up there with my heroes Elizabeth Pantley and John Rosemond in terms of day-to-day usefulness. Bravo!

You can download the first chapter for free on Kindle to make sure you like it! 

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One of the best things I ever bought was a bag of colored Poms.  I had no idea what colored Poms were before I had kids, but now I just love them.  If we are ever in a bind for something to do, I know we can always get out the colored Poms and invent a game.  So, if you're looking for something to do with your kids and you want to use stuff you already have around the house, here are some ideas:

Sensory bowl:  Seriously.  Just put them in a bowl and see what your kids do with them.  They will probably start making soup or throwing them up the air.  You'd be surprised what kids can come up with.   Child expert Susan Case says giving kids opportunity to use their imagination and create their own fun is one of the most important things we can do for our kids.  I remember one rainy afternoon my kids spent 48 minutes playing happily with Poms, 2 kitchen pans, and 2 spoons.  I know because I timed it.  Just out of curiosity.  I'm weird.

Sorting: Give your kids several bowls and show them where to put the yellows, the greens, the blues, etc.  Did you know that when kids sort objects, they are actually practicing early math skills?  I didn't know that either, but according to child expert Susan Case,

"When children sort and pattern, they actually learn mathematical skills. Children begin sorting things at an early age. In fact, according to some researchers, young children spend over 40 percent of their time sorting objects into sets, counting objects, or exploring patterns and forms."

Play "Hide the Blueberries":  Kids need exercise.  What better way to do that than a modified Easter Egg Hunt?  Put your kid in one room and tell them to count to 10 or 20 or whatever they are capable or doing.  Then you go in the other room and throw the Poms all around, under chairs, in the corner, etc., but make sure to make it easy for them to find or they will get frustrated.  Then they can take their bucket around and search for all the "blueberries"!  They get the exercise and they also have to practice delayed gratification while they have to wait for you to be finished hiding everything.

The Counting Jar:  Use any old jar and put all the Poms inside.  Glass jars are preferable because the colors look vibrant and appealing from outside.  Then simply ask your child to pull out the Poms and help them count as they go.  Your child will likely automatically sort them into her own piles, and again, this reinforces the skills she will need to learn math later in life.

Make a Rainbow: Draw a simple rainbow pattern and show your child which colors go where.  Then she can fill in the rest!

Use Tongs to Sort: For some reason, kids love this game.  If you are doing this with your Preschooler, make sure to put the Poms on the left side so they have to go from left to right.  It is good for them to get in this habit since all reading and writing goes from left to right.  Just give them a cookie pan or something to empty the Poms into.  This is great for fine motor and muscle strength and even toddlers can enjoy this game!

If you liked this post, you will LOVE my new book (which is currently ranked#4 on Amazon in the category of Motherhood!).   If you have ever asked yourself questions like, these, then this is the book for you!

Hello my lovely followers!  I have some exciting news for us!  I have been working with the Steve Harvey Show and they want me to ask my followers if anyone interested in being on the show!  It is a brand-new show on NBC and it is on right before the Ellen DeGeneres Show, on during the daytime.  This particular episode is about discipline.  The show is coming right up and they would prefer someone who lives in the Chicago or surrounding area or who might be willing to fly to Chicago.  Is anyone out there interested?  If so, please email me directly (katiefnorris at yahoo.com) with a bit of info about your family and also pictures if possible.  

From all the hype out there, this going to be a pretty popular new show and you have a chance to be in one of the first episodes!  Please let me know ASAP if you are interested!

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