So, my friend Natalie told me she was teaching D1 (the other son is D2) to make his bed.
"Brilliant" I thought and immediately delegated that task to V.
As we all know, V was a softie and I think didn't enforce it all that much.
(Confession - I never make my bed. That's D's job and I think the one week he was away about two years ago is the only time in our marriage I made it. Moving on)
Enter Nanny S.
Well, the other day I arrived home and Connor grabbed me by the hand and told me to come look in the bedroom.
I went in and he says, "look Mummy, Connor made bed"
Pleased as punch (do you say that?).
I was so proud of him, especially because he was so proud of himself, smiling that gorgeous, big smile.
He told me in detail that he and S made the bed - and laid out all the steps.
Well, he's now become obsessive about this bed. We are not allowed to "make it ugly".
Last night I wanted to tuck him in but he didn't want me to take the blankets that were neatly folded and put them over him.
So we left him but then I crept in and covered him properly when he was asleep.
I'm focussing on the positive at the moment - he wants to make his bed!
Kendra, I assume, does the same, but she is not as attached to having a neat bed.
Anyway, here are pics - finally - of the big beds. For the record, they've had them since 14 March, the birthday of my friend with the twins, C.
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| Kendra's side |
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| see pink striped blanket - she LOVES it |
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| I looked all over for two of these duvet sets |
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| they remind me of our 2.5 birthday party |
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| Thursday - today I told Kendra I want to wash Thursday. Well. If you live in Jhb, you may have heard the bloodcurdling scream. |
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| little pillow from her baby days - I found this random pillow case in an oddments section at Mr P Home for R15 - love the bird |
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| day 1 of the beds - I don't have all those things on the chest of drawers anymore |
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| happiness is... a boy and his bed (and a mummy and her bed!) |
Do your kids make their own beds?
Do you make your bed? :)
What else are you doing to foster independence that I can "steal" from you?
They look so little in those big kid beds! No one in our family makes their beds. Ever.
ReplyDeleteOh big beds.... :( They need to slow down in the growing up department! I'm milking our toddler beds for all they're worth!
ReplyDeleteI NEVER make my bed, the most you can hope for here is to have the covers pulled up. As a result the girls don't make their beds, nor do I fuss about it. I will admit to having tried the "let's keep our beds neat" game when we transitioned to toddler beds, but I don't have the discipline to encourage/enforce them!
Independence? The girls set the table for meals, put their dirty dishes in the sink, pick their own snacks, pull dishes from the dishwasher and hand to me or put where they belong, and are solely responsible for feeding a dog each. I also have hooks at their level so they know to put their coats up and take their shoes off, placing them under their coats, when we come in. They have always put their dirty laundry and towels in the hamper, but our attempts at putting clothes away have failed every time. They instantly want to change their clothes and pull my folded piles apart!
What a clever little Connor...wow...so little and making his own bed.
ReplyDeleteCute beds and duvets! We always make our bed - gosh I think it take sall of 2 minutes. A makes her bed every day but the boys I enforce over weekends - the mornings are just too crazy. But some day soon we will. The Princess now makes all the beds some weekend mornings if we are not quick enough - which I love because it shows that she cares about helping.
ReplyDeleteI make the bed. Nicola thinks that as soon as I've done it she needs to get back in it again, so I leave one corner open for her since she gets such a kick out of it.
ReplyDeleteI can't really say it's for independance but she helps me wash dishes, she likes to help load tge washing machine and tumble drier and she waters the plants.
*sigh* - I dont think my kids know they CAN actually make their bed - I think they think that only someone else can!
ReplyDeleteIn all fairness though they will make it every now and then or if we growl loud enough.
I make our bed - under duress though. Our rooms are upstairs and we have a guest loo downstairs so people rarely need to go upstairs so making my bed is only done over weekends if D moans enough and refuses to do it!
Soooo cute!! I love that bedding. It's just perfect for a boy/girl room!
ReplyDeleteOur bed is never made, so I don't much expect I will press that issue with the girls as well. I do like a freshly made bed with fresh & clean sheets, but J and I are on such different schedules that he is always sleeping when I need to be making the bed!
Right now, the girls' "job" is to get themselves undressed before bath, putting their shoes in the closet and clothes in the basket. We've been doing it for a couple of months, and it's going well. I need to add something else into their list, so I'll be checking out the other comments!
LOVE the bedding pics.
ReplyDeleteBoth of mine make their beds and I make our bed. I am not that fussy but I cannot stand an unmade bed. I usually do it as soon as I get up in the mornings (helps me to wake up) and I insist that Child1 does the same. An unmade bed just makes you feel more tired when you walk into your room after a long day at work. Lance makes it up but not quickly enough. That is why I do it.
Mmmm...independence? Let them choose an outfit now and again, let them dress themselves (or rather attempt to dress themselves), they can also do things like pick up toys or put them away. Will let you know if I think of some more.
I can only imagine how proud you must have felt, hearing and seeing that he made his own bed.
ReplyDeleteMe and hubby don't leave our home without our bed made but the kids have a bunker bed which is difficult for a child to make, so before I got a nanny, I made it for them but now the nanny make it for them.
But, we are buying them both their own beds in 2 weeks time, so then I will most definitely teach them to make their own.
What you can steal from me, perhaps: Put the laundry basket on the floor and teach the kids to pick up their own clothes from the floor when they get dressed after bath time or when they get dressed in the mornings.
You already make them pick up their toys, so that's good.
Dressing themselves is also a good thing.
It is good to teach our kids to make their own beds because it helps them become more independent and matured. I think I will also begin with my kids.
ReplyDeleteDifferent ranges have make it easy to have ones own choice...
ReplyDeleteFascinating glance of your blog is Superb..!!!Kids Car Beds
But it is the kids who have to sleep there. As long as the bedding your kids want is not objectionable for some reason and is well-made, why not allow them to have bedding themes that interest them?read more
ReplyDelete