August 14, 2017

Using Paint Sticks & My Efforts to Trying to Say Yes More.

I feel like moving into our new home has really changed our groove. We have been working really hard on getting back into a routine like I have been chatting about. I’ve been working really hard on not being constantly on edge that King is going to ruin something in the house and working to let him be a kid. It can be so hard sometimes, but I know it is completely necessary. He has been really acting out lately and I think it is partly because I have been saying no so much… 

top || jeans || choker

Why is it so easy to tell them no all the time? Don’t eat on the couch. Don’t throw your toys. Don’t hit mom. Stop jumping off your dresser. No! Don’t throw your plate of food. Stop walking on the rocks without shoes. There are so many things that I don’t want him doing… I think he thinks that all I know how to say is no. I have been working really hard on letting some things go. The trivial things like messes that I can clean up later, things that don’t jeopardize his safety or manners.

I have been working hard to finding activities that I can say YES to. Yes let’s go paint with paint sticks. Yes let’s make cookies together. Yes let’s go play soccer. Yes you can vacuum. Yes let’s dig in the flowers. Things that let him have some independence and let him be a kid. I wanted to share with you some of our favorite yes activities right now.

1 – Painting with ModFamily Paint sticks. These paint sticks really aren’t necessarily paint, but they are heaven sent. King loves them so much and so do I. They are easy for him to color and draw with and easy for me to wipe up. These paint sticks make saying yes to painting easy because the clean up is so easy. We have been making everything from sticker charts of swimming lessons to him having me make him birthday cards for his birthday party coming up. They are so fun for our entire family. 

2 – Making treats and cookies. Yes it makes a mess and yes sometimes we have to come back to it later, but that is okay. I just keep ModFamily Stretch and Seal lids around so I can pull them over whatever bowl we are using and throw it in the fridge while we have to hurry and do something else. King loves to stir and loves watching things bake in the oven. I love eating the treat afterwards. It is a win win for both of us and usually Zach is super awesome and cleans up the mess afterwards. We absolutely love it.

3 – Digging outside. This is my least favorite but one of King’s favorites. We don’t have a yard yet so our house is literally all rocks. We have way more rocks than dirt at our house. King loves digging and asks me to dig with him all the time. I have worked really hard on saying yes to digging because honestly it doesn’t hurt me, it doesn’t put me out, or anything. I can dig with him. We can throw rocks at rocks and he is happy so why not.

I hope this helps you find fun yes activities to do, like King’s favorite paint sticks,  at your house with your littles. I would love to hear what your favorite activities are that you do. We always love doing new things and finding new adventures we can do as a family!