...when all your kids favorite activities are put on hold?
It's a struggle in our home, because I know what we should and shouldn't do, but my 4 and 2 year old children don't understand. If you don't know me too well, I am one who is pretty strict about Sunday. There are no computer games (except the Friend website on lds.org), playing outside with toys, dancing to crazy songs, or watching television/regular movies. But that doesn't mean it has to be boring. We get down and do puzzles or pretend play on the ground, build things with our bristle blocks and duplos, or color (with crayons only...I'll explain), while listening to quiet church music. Our current situation is that we have church at 2:30 in the afternoon. So after church is EASY... whip up dinner, eat, bathe, go to bed. But before church...much harder. We can't do anything that would get us dirty, so no markers/playdough, a clean lunch (cheese and crackers anyone?), and no baking in the kitchen! :-( There goes our favorite Sunday activity--cookies. One thing we LOVE to do on Sunday is call Grandma and Grandpa on the webcam. My oldest loves to talk to my dad and show off anything new and exciting to him. This occupies a good hour, at least!
Now because of the age of my children, I have a hard time sneaking in a shower with the aforementioned activities due to their need to maul each other when I leave the room for an extended period of time. :-) (I guess I should mention that my husband's work schedule doesn't permit him to spend the day with us AND go to church...and since we would much rather him be at church, I go solo on Sunday mornings :-) ) So I either pack up the coloring and have them come with me into the bedroom/bathroom area or else they get to watch VeggieTales. Not LDS, but still good wholesome Christian entertainment for the most part. (A good fallback too when you're laid up on the couch with morning sickness as well!) I really need to get a copy of some animated Scripture Stories... we just have the pictures-with-narration kind, which loses their attention fast... anyone know where I can order some?
I still have to explain to my 4 year old that she can't watch her favorite movies or play on the websites she likes, with many tears on her part, but I think if you make the appropriate activities seem just as much fun, they can learn to appreciate the quiet Sunday spirit you want to have.
