Children Need "Me Time" too! + Craft with Ixora Flowers.

Ixora Craft The kids surprised me with this one. This is what happened when we put 3 children together for 8 hours outdoors without planning any activities:  They invented their own toys and handicrafts. I spent an entire Sunday with a dear friend. Both our husbands were away, so we parked ourselves and our children at Labrador Park, with no plans at all, but to enjoy the sea breeze. Besides some kick scooters and rollerblades, we had brought nothing for the children to play with. When they were tired of running about, they went off to find something else to do. Then finding them too...

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What to do while watching the children at the playground + DIY Toys: Dangling Leaf Butterfly

Like it or not, children are learning from us all the time. They pick up how we speak to strangers, how we manage our anger, and what we do when we have free time. Do we relax, read a book, strike up a conversation, or slump on a bench and scroll through Facebook? Usually, when my children are at the playground, I try to bring along some kind of craft for MYSELF to do while they play. I enjoy sewing toys and mending or altering clothes by hand, so I sit on the bench or floor and work quietly while they play. Benefits of being productively occupied during outdoor play: When I'm engrossed...

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DIY Toys: The Making of a Knight

The little boy is fascinated with all things knight-related. It's so hard to stay away from violent play like toy guns and knives, when every other boy in this city owns a collection! Having said that, we can't deny the fact that most boys are attracted to themes of dominance, power and violence, and find some kind of catharsis in rough play.  Rather than suppress it, perhaps the middle way would be to channel that energy to a more productive avenue. So, archaic as it might seem, when he expressed an interest in knighthood, I let him explore that track, emphasising the chivalry,...

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