Forever Fun #13 My kids were fighting like crazy yesterday, so we implemented "sibling rotation" I told the crew they couldn't play with friends until they played nicely one-on-one with each sibling. We rotated in 20 minute rotations, and it was amazing! After an hour, they all seemed to like each other again. :)

Forever Fun #12

I just read a chapter in Richard Carlson's book "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff with Your Family" and I liked how he emphasized the importance of scheduling time for kindness:
"This scheduled time for kindness is reserved for doing something (anything) thoughtful for someone else. Sometimes I use this time to write a heartfelt letter to someone I love or appreciate, write a check to charity, or make a phone call to someone for no other reason than to say "I love you." Other times, I'll reflect on ways I can contribute to society in more effective ways, or think of ways in which I might contribute in a positive way to someone else's life." We can all benefit from focusing on more kindness and love in all aspects of our lives, and our families will be strengthened as this becomes a daily focus.

Forever Fun #11

I am a person who likes to be busy and feel a sense of accomplishment. Well, I have been sick for a couple of days and tonight my sense of accomplishment came by taking a break from being busy and just soaking in the joy of having children. Aaron was gone for the evening, which meant I would tackle four busy children solo. I wasn't sure how this would go, but it proved to be so worthwhile. I took a break from household tasks and just sat on the couch and watched my kids play. The boys wrestled (no major injuries, so that's a perk), the girls each had notebooks and were designing prom dresses (something I've never known they liked doing), and I quietly watched them. It was the most productive I've been in a very long time. I should take a sick day more often!

Forever Fun #10

Christmas has just passed, which means more toys! This is always fun, yet also mind-boggling, and we ask ourselves, "Where did all this stuff come from?" No matter how much rotating of toys we do, there are always many more toys than what we need in our home. As extended family, we have decided to try a new gift-giving approach on cousin's birthdays. The kids are going to watch what toys their cousins enjoy playing with when they are over. When it is a cousin's birthday, they will choose a toy from the toy room to wrap and give to their cousin. Not only is this a great form of recycling, but it also is a time for the children to get to know their cousins better as they take notice of what their cousins like to do and play with. I am excited to see how this new gift-giving strategy works, and maybe it will continue year after year.

Forever Fun #9

As a child I always enjoyed when my mom would change the furniture around in my bedroom or even in the family room. That same excitement comes from my children when we make a small change in their surroundings. I have found that rotating toys is a wonderful way for our children to enjoy the simple things and find satisfaction in playing with long-forgotten, yet long-time-loved toys. We store most of the toys and games in storage bench seats in our playroom. Every couple of months we like to rotate the toys that are accessible to the kids, and this is a fun day for each of them. It amazes me with the stories they tell as they pull out toys they haven’t seen for awhile. They can relate when they were given the toy and by whom and for what occasion. They seem to get the same happiness as if opening new gifts. When we rotate toys we also like to encourage the kids to choose some items to give to charity. This way our house doesn’t get too overtaken by stuffed animals and little trinkets. Toy rotating is also a good time to replace batteries and repair broken toys. So, give toy rotating a try. You may come to find that an organized playroom is possible, and the money to be saved by appreciating what you already have is a nice perk as well.

Forever Fun #8

"Siblings Without Rivalry" can this exist? We have two daughters who are two years apart, and then we have a three year gap and our two boys follow with two years between them as well. We have found that sibling rivalry is present even from a very young age. It is a tricky concept to understand and even trickier to deal with when it causes contention in the family. I firmly believe that one-on-one time with children helps off-set sibling rivalry, and I have found some wonderful advice from Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish who are authors of "Siblings Without Rivalry". Here is a little excerpt: CHILDREN DON'T NEED TO BE TREATED EQUALLY. THEY NEED TO BE TREATED UNIQUELY. Instead of giving equal amounts (Here, now you have just as many grapes as your sister) Give according to individual need (Do you want a few grapes, or a big bunch?) Instead of showing equal love (I love you the same as your sister.) Show the child he or she is loved uniquely (You are the only 'you' in the whole wide world. No one could ever take your place. Instead of giving equal time (After I've spent ten minutes with your sister, I'll spend ten minutes with you) Give time according to need (I know I'm spending a lot of time going over your sister's composition. It's important to her. As soon as I'm finished, I want to hear what's important to you.)

Forever Fun #7

Our oldest daughter will soon turn 8 years old. With this being a very important birthday, as she will be baptized, my husband and I decided to take her on a weekend getaway. It was such a wonderful experience spending one-on-one time with her. She made a list of her top three requests for the weekend, so she was very involved in the planning. She asked that we could go swimming, buy a small gift for her sister, and eat powdered donuts while watching TV. We fulfilled her requests and added a couple extra surprises for the weekend as well. It was such a success that we plan on doing it for each of our children on their 8th, 12th, 14th, and 16th birthdays. It's a tradition that I am sure will pay dividends in strengthening our relationships and creating wonderful memories.