Last night we were playing a game with Parker. He has a bunch of flashcards with pictures and letters and shapes etc. on them. He likes to lay a bunch down and then we ask him to find a particular one giving him hints to what is on it. He does really well and
usually is very quick to give you the card. I think having Daddy play made him a little silly though. Last night we would ask him where a card was and he would put his hands up and say "I can't find it, it's just 4 blocks away." I guess you had to be there but it was pretty funny.
The last month or so has been
very challenging with Parker. I'm starting to think maybe he is just really bored or something. He plays hard all morning, gets really hyper, really really hyper, stops listening to anything I tell him. Pushes and kicks KC and then has a complete melt down for the next 3-4 hrs until he finally crashes and falls asleep. Needless to say I think I am
ready to retire from motherhood. So since that is not really a very good option we came up with a new plan.
Everyday from 10-12 is special Parker play time. We made some envelopes with cards that have different ideas of activities. There is one for inside activities, outside, places to go, chores, and special surprises for when he can be a good listener for a whole day. There is also an envelope to put cards in if they get taken away by bad behavior.
Some of the things are like
playing with blocks, running through the sprinklers, going to the park or library, racing Mommy in the backyard,
finger painting, etc. I hope it helps us both take the time to help him use his energy
appropriately and feel like he is getting the attention he needs. We'll use them too anytime he is starting to act up and we need a positive way to channel the energy. I'll let you know how it goes. I have a great book called
The Out of Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz. Its about sensory processing disorders and how to deal with them. When we talked tot he occupational therapist about Parker they recommended it and
doing what they call a sensory diet. It's hard to explain but basically Parker has a sensory seeking disorder so that his brain doesn't process stimulation correctly so he is constantly seeking more, which contributes to the
hyperness and acting out. This along with
ADHD and we have our hands full.
A lot of the activities we planned for him are suggestions from the sensory diet to help raise his sensory stimulation levels so that he can respond
appropriately to different situations. I also found the coolest website called
Southpawenterprises. It has all sorts of things to use with kids to do therapy of sorts with them. One day I hope we can have a whole room with these kinds of things in it for Parker.
Anyways I think the hardest part is just realizing that my first priority needs to be being a mother, not making cake or finding
freebees ;). Or cleaning house etc. But really spending quality time with Parker and KC and giving them my attention. This is so hard for me some days. I think all mothers have those days when they just have a hundred other things to do. I hate the excuse that some people give that its okay if their
house is a wreck because they are giving their time to the kids instead. I think you have to have a good balance of both so your kids don't think its okay to neglect all those other things. Anyways, being a mom is so much harder than I ever thought it would be. And I am grateful for those days far and
in between when Parker wraps his arms around my necks and smothers me in kisses and calls me his sweetheart. And says please and thank you all day. And I get to see that he is actually learning something from me. If not for those I don't know how we would make it through.
So anyways thanks to everyone for all your support and advice and friendship. I'm grateful that we have
each other to talk to while we all go through this motherhood thing together.
Well, I guess I waited too long to write because I'm having trouble remembering what I was going to write, but here's a slide show of recent pics.
