At 4 o’clock, our house gets pretty crazy! My 6 year-old (Handsome) gets off the bus and the party begins.
This is normally a stressful time of day for me because a lot of things start clashing:
- My energy starts to run low
- After a long day at school, Handsome wants to turn up. No homework, just fun, fun, fun!
- 2 year old (Dimples) is rebelling against naptime and is cranky around this time because he’s tired
- My free time is done! If I haven’t finished something yet, it most likely won’t get done.
- And I’m cranky and frustrated because of all of this. I have a list in my head of things that need to be done and NO ONE is cooperating.
And there you have it. A recipe for madness!
Here’s what I’ve found helps a lot
-I try to finish whatever I’m doing before that time. Whatever it is, it must be done before Handsome gets off the bus. If it can’t be finished, it doesn’t get started.
-I start to wind down and find some time to relax, or just sit down about 20-30 minutes before
-Have an after school snack prepared (or in mind). Don’t forget to make something for yourself too.
-Prep dinner (even cook it if there’s time) earlier in the day.
-if the weather’s nice (not raining or freezing). I let them run around in the yard and play for about 20-30 minutes. This really helps with all the pent up energy.
– I made a checklist for FJ so he knows what he has to do and can check each item off when he’s done.
-While Handsome is doing homework, I try to keep Dimples occupied with an activity. This can be Play Doh, coloring, or I just sit down with him. I don’t do TV at that time because it’s distracting for Handsome who’s trying to get his work done.
– I keep this verse in mind
- Philippians 4:8
- Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
No matter what is going on, something is going right. Smile, relax, take a deep breath. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect and it most likely won’t be. Children often feed off of your mood, so think about the good things and try to stay positive.
There you go! These have really helped with our after school routine. I hope it will help with yours too.
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Love you guys!
-Shelly
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