Baby Animal Days!

Yesterday, Grig had the day off (because his company was out of parts) and so we decided to go to a local event entitled "Baby Animal Days." 

Kevin was grumpy when he woke up, and so we were glad to get out of the house. For a small admission fee, we were able to see chicks, lambs, kids, ducklings, colts, calves, and bear cubs!

I was super excited about the bear cubs, and on the site it said to get there early so you didn't have to wait in line too long. Due to this, I felt rushed and was stressed how when we didn't leave at the planned time. Then, when we got to the park, I was determined to speed-walk to the bear enclosure so we didn't have to wait too long.  However, half way there, Grig reminded me by example that we were there for Kevin, not for me. I remembered that rushing isn't fun for anyone, and how could I enjoy the day if I was wasting our time rushing from place to place. 

Even slowing down, we still got there fairly early with only a good 1/2 hour wait. When all was said and done, it was a little bit of a let-down. You didn't actually get to hold the bear cubs (which admittedly would probably have traumatized the poor things to let so many people touch them), but I had been really excited to at least pet one. They didn't really let you too near. 

They were very cute, but not as cute as our bear cub:

Here's Kevin trying on his bear mask. After that he only enjoyed throwing it on the ground.

Mama bear and baby bear. Don't mess with the baby.

After we went through that line, we walked around and visited a lot of other baby animals. My favorite part was a stall with a couple of calves. They were ignoring everyone and standing far away from the bystanders. I mooed softly at a calf and extended a finger. Its attention shifted to me. Then, after I mooed again, it lowed back and walked toward me and began to suck on my finger. That was a lot of fun. I was feeling pretty good that I was able to coax it over to where Kevin could pet it. It's always fun to have a baby animal sucking on your fingers too. 

At least I think so.

Kevin probably enjoyed the calves, chicks, chickens, horses, and donkeys the best. He would pat the other animals, but he didn't seem as interested, especially when the mama sheep was trying to head-butt everyone who came near her lamb. Here are some other pictures we took:

Kevin and the baby chick. He really liked that one.

Kevin loved this donkey. 

After we had visited most of the baby animals, we went on a train ride. During the wait, Kevin got really grumpy, but once we got on the train, it was his favorite part. He cried when we finished the ride and wanted to remain in his seat. If not for the long line behind us, we probably would have let him.

Our family on the train.

Next, we bought some cotton candy and visited some historical sites. One of Grig's favorite parts was when we were in a root-cellar and some kids who were coming down asked, "Does someone live here?"

Grig responded, "We do! Get out of our house!"

The adults that were with the kids laughed and said, "Cellar trolls!" It was pretty funny. We then climbed back up and let them enter.

On our way out, we walked across a bridge. Kevin had been able to feed chickens grass and so had gotten over his slump and was happy again. I took some fun pictures on that bridge.

 It turned out to be a great time! I'll add some video on tomorrow's blog. We have a lot more footage where this came from!

Discipline is Hard

Here's the scenario:

I'm in the living room on my laptop working on videos, and Kevin is happily playing in his bedroom.  He's very independent and will leave me and go in there to play.  Often, when he wants reassurance that I'm still around he'll yell, "Ah?"  To which I usually respond, "Ah."

Very in-depth conversation, I know.

Then, he comes out carrying a toy.  He walks over to where I'm sitting and reaches out for the laptop chord.  He likes to yank it out and try and suck on the end.  We think that's a bad idea.  The idea of putting a plugged-in laptop chord in your mouth seems dangerous for some reason.  So, I quickly block his hand and say, "Stop."

I try very hard to maintain a serious expression.  It is difficult, however, when his face lights up with this huge smile and he starts giggling.

Okay, I'll admit it, he's pretty stinking adorable.  When it does that, it's really hard not to laugh at him.  Especially when he goes for the chord again.  I repeat my reaction, and he repeats the giggling.  Suddenly my discipline is a game.  His game.

I never thought this was going to be the problem.  I imagined that my kids would scream or throw tantrums when I told them to stop doing things.  I didn't imagine that they would find it hilarious.

We try not to say "No."  In my dog training class, the teacher told us that people find it too easy to say no, so dogs learn not to take that word seriously.  He told us instead to say "stop".  It isn't said as often, so when you do say it, they take you more seriously.  I have found it to be the same with children.

My sister the other day said that by accident she had done something really awesome.  When her kids did something wrong, instead of saying "no", she said either "nope" or "no way, jose".  When her kids got to that stage where they start saying no back to their parents, her kids said these two phrases instead.  My sister told me that it was far more difficult to get annoyed with her children when they were defiantly saying "Nope" than if they had been telling her no.

I'm not very good at discipline.  As a studying Student Teacher, that was my most difficult area.  I'm a very forgiving person.  I believe in mercy, so when a kid came up to me and said, "Please, give me another chance?" it was very hard for me to hold firm.  However, I came to realize that kid training is a lot like dog training.  When you set a rule, you need to stick with it, no matter what.  Kids and dogs are always pushing limits.  When you let them get away with something, they think that they outsmarted you and they can continue getting away with it.  They won't learn to respect you and listen to you, because they'll view you as a pushover.

I'm slowly learning to stick to my guns.  It's hard because I want to be nice, but I realize that if I want a well-behaved child who follows my rules, I also have to follow and keep my rules.  No matter what.  Consequences have to exist.  If a rule is kept, there are good consequences.  If a rule is broken, there are negative consequences.

Kids will continue to push my limits, I know this.  School was a good preparation for it.  Kids are always testing and trying to figure out where they get away with something.  It's not malice, it's just the way they are.  We all are constantly trying to test our own boundaries.  However, rules make us feel safe.  Kids who know where the boundaries are, are usually much calmer kids because they feel safe.  It's when they don't know what to expect from moment to moment that kids really begin to misbehave.  

The good news though, is that our consistency is beginning to show results.  Kevin is seldom going for the chord anymore, and he's learning to stay away from the garbage.  Even though it didn't seem like it was getting through to him, he is learning.

Pretty good for a ten month old.

Now, if we could only keep him out of the bathroom.