Are you up for the challenge?
TOMORROW it’s family storytime.
Allow each of the children to choose one story each and read aloud for ‘Family Storytime’
Older children might want to reminisce about their childhood favourites or choose out a story they know one of their siblings will especially like.
Happy storytelling!
What stories did your children choose? Don’t forget to come back and share your experiences.
Whether it’s decluttering, spending time with the kids or just chilling out AWAY from technology, everyday in September we are going to set a challenge at 8pm the evening before to complete the following day.
Are you up for the challenge?
All challenges are set by a ‘REAL’ Mum living in the ‘REAL’ world bringing up 6 children from Toddler to Tween.
You can either follow our challenge here on our blog, join up to our Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=204310609636256 or follow our #SeptChallenge on Twitter
Read more about the challenge here http://www.familyvalue.com.au/home/200-september-challenge.html
We have so much going on at our Facebook [Family Value & Large Families] and Twitter [Family Value & Large Families] pages and we realise not all our readers are a member of these 2 social networking avenues, nor do we expect them to be, so here it is - the week in review….
Things to do at home with the kids
Recipes & Cooking
Things to do out and about
General issues & conversation
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: [5 year old boy]”
Today I opened a discussion on Facebook about the expense of school holidays and some of the activities that add up quickly. Here is a list of activities that our members have been doing these holidays. Although some may not be local to you, there are plenty of good ideas to assist in grasping the creativity to enjoy the school holidays without getting too stressed and overspending. With a little planning and a touch of creativity, school holidays do not have to be expensive.
Here is a list of all the activities our families have been doing which will give you a rough idea of expenditure required for each activity. ENJOY!
The great outdoors
Handy items to have on hand in an emergency to entertain
Family Value Article: Keeping the children entertained on school holidays without sending you broke!
Do you have any other ideas?
YIPPEE!!!! The Victorian Government has announced free admission for children under 16 years of age to all three of their Zoos Victoria properties on weekends, Victorian public holidays and Victorian Government school holidays from July 1 2011.
This includes Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary & Werribee Open Range Zoo
This is awesome news for families so take the children on an adventure to the Zoos Victoria properties these holidays and enjoy “Family Entry at Family Prices”
HOT TIP: Become a FOTZ member and kids are FREE all year with other benefits TOO!
Today was a ‘first’ for me.
While I slept after night duty - the 4 middle kids went out with friends and relis, which left me with the youngest (21 months) and my eldest (11 years - girl). Always scamming to make my life as easy as possible I decided that it probably wasn’t too much to ask my daughter to care for my 21 month old IF she had a friend come over and help her! My daughter didn’t complain about the idea and really ’stepped up’. The only proviso B1 had was that she wouldn’t change a pooey nappy - fair enough I guess! And lucky for me he saved his pooey nappy AFTER I awoke from my slumber! Overall, B1 was a credit to herself and did a wonderful job entertaining K6.
They ate chocolate, watched DVDs, played ‘hairdressers’ (with K6 -boy copping hair clips & hair ties in his hair), made smoothies, played games, made their own lunch and played the Wii. They had an awesome time and I reckon they would easily volunteer their services again!
Do you employ the services of the older siblings to babysit? Is it right or wrong?
So last night it was ‘date night’ with the hubby and today is was my ‘date’ with K5.
As many of you whom have large families would understand, spending one on one time with each child is a difficult task.
Definately we manage odd moments during the day where we read a story or do a craft activity, but more than likely one of the other siblings will make a disturbance usually highlighting the fact that they are feeling left out at that particular time. In the second half of last year I realised that the children were starting to grow up quickly and it was time to factor in ‘time’ with each of the children.
Hence, the Family Value ‘Time’ Plan has been devised!
THE PLAN
Each year Ian & I are to spend time with each of the children individually doing whatever they choose (within reason). This means 12 days in a year are taken up for ‘date time with the children’.
When I explained this idea to the children they responded extremely positively and are constantly dreaming about the ‘dates’ they are going to have with each of their parents.
The plan kicked off last year with Ian taking K5 to BEN 10 LIVE, Me taking K5 to The Pancake Parlour for breakfast & Build-a-Bear Workshop, and Ian taking B1 to dinner and to see Hairspray The Musical. So, this year L2 has been to see MSO Disney in Concert & ACMI Disney’s Dreams Come True exhibition .
And today……. K5 & I went to see the Yogi Bear Movie & went shopping at the Chapel Street Bazaar in search of a retro Yogi Bear item, which we found - check out the tin lunch box!
Advantages
AND before you think we’re playing favourites with ‘K5′, the children whom didn’t get a chance last half of last year make up for it this year, then in 2012 we’ll be up to date!
So, what do you think?
Would this be beneficial in your family?
‘Date Night at Gold Class Doncaster - The Tourist’
Back in the infantry years of mothers group I remember one of our guest speakers - a psychologist, and the one piece of advice that stayed with me is to make time for our relationship and one way to do this is to diarise regular ‘date nights’.
Over the years we’ve managed to find time for ‘us’ as a couple however this has become an increasingly difficult task as the children have multiplied to 6 in 10 years! Always valuing and believing in the advice of ‘that psychologist’ 11 years ago we have made a concious effort to continue our date nights. Whilst the children are extremely important to us, if we, as parents feel under pressure we find that the children reflect our stress by way of misbehaving which causes the cascade effect of one very stressed family! Do you relate?
So it is, we have a ‘date night - out’ approximately every 2 weeks, and a ‘date night - in’ every other week. Whether it be to see a movie, go out for dinner or simply have ’secret takeaway’ after the children have gone to bed. This time is very important. We look forward to these nights and value the ‘couple time’ that they give us.
So, who will babysit?
Points to Note
Do you do ‘date nights’?
Have you seen ‘The Tourist’?
Rainforestation Nature Park has joined the Family Value Affilate program. 2 Adults & up to 6 Children for ONE family price. So, if you are a resident around Cairns and the Tablelands or heading up there for holidays, be sure to download our Family Value Rainforestation coupon here. Back in 2005 we had a wonderful time as a family at Rainforestation and will certainly be going back again sometime soon. The Army Duck is a fabulous experience as a land vehicle converts into a water vehicle. The whole Rainforestation experience is both fun and educational. So, when visiting Rainforestation be sure to take your Family Value coupon with you and don’t forget your Medicare card for proof of family unit.
I went to the St Andrews Market, VIC today and found some vintage women’s magazines I couldn’t resist! On inspecting the contents I found this advert on Page 4 of the Woman’s Day and Home - March 12th 1951. I LOVE IT! “Six Children In the Family mean plenty of coloureds in the wash , but I can always rely on RINSO to keep them bright and fresh”
Was 6 children ‘the norm’ in 1951?
I think I might get this article blown up as a print and put in our laundry…… does anyone have any other suggestions of how I can upcycle this article?
