Monday, July 23, 2007

Life With Two Kids, Day One

My nephew is visiting us this week. He is almost eight years old, and he is a riot. Sometimes his questions and logic leave me with no idea how to answer him. We're having a good time so far. I've also developed a greater respect for parents of multiple children. Wow. The coordination that it takes to make two children, six years apart in age, content at the same time is remarkable. To my great delight, they both like Sesame Street. That was a blissful hour.

So, here are a few things that I've learned in the last 15 hours of having two kids in my care:

  1. As nice as it is to sit quietly and read or watch television after the children are asleep, it is more beneficial to just go to bed. Children do not like to sleep in.
  2. Eight year olds do not fit into baby swings.
  3. Explanations for "no" do not work and are unnecessary.
  4. Most themes of an eight year old's favorite songs are gross and involve bodily functions and/or foul-smelling things. If they can be sung using a monster truck rally voice (which sounds more like Donald Duck in an eight year old) and belches, all the better.

I'm sure the week holds many more lessons for me. Now it's time to wrestle two kids into their respective carseats. Again, I have newfound respect for parents of multiple children.

1 comment:

retha said...

I have to join you in the 'respect'
You are now on my list too. I am not able to be amongst more children than my own, to care for, for longer than half an hour.