"Room time" is something Tom and I implemented when Liesl started only needing one nap per day. It was originally meant to give Liesl the opportunity to play by herself and learn to entertain herself. The side benefit of room time became incredibly clear about one week into the experiment: Room time gives Mommy a chance to catch up on chores, housework, bills, (and blogs....) Ava's napping routine has fallen in 
sync with room time, so Ava usually has her morning nap while Liesl has room time. I usually just pop my head in once or twice and listen in on Liesl's monitor to supervise. That is the "Peace" part of the title of this post. At the end of each room time, there is the mandatory cleanup. That is where the "Chaos" part comes in. Have you SEEN what a toddler can do to her bedroom in half an hour's time? I limit the number of toys that Liesl has access to (which you may find hard to believe upon seeing these photos) and Liesl is not allowed to open her dresser drawers or closet doors. Still...the kid's got talent.
sync with room time, so Ava usually has her morning nap while Liesl has room time. I usually just pop my head in once or twice and listen in on Liesl's monitor to supervise. That is the "Peace" part of the title of this post. At the end of each room time, there is the mandatory cleanup. That is where the "Chaos" part comes in. Have you SEEN what a toddler can do to her bedroom in half an hour's time? I limit the number of toys that Liesl has access to (which you may find hard to believe upon seeing these photos) and Liesl is not allowed to open her dresser drawers or closet doors. Still...the kid's got talent.Naturally, Mommy expects Liesl to take part in the cleanup routine after each room time. It happens....s-l-o-w-l-y, but it does happen.
Usually Ava wakes up towards the end of Liesl's room time, and then Mommy and Ava come in at the end to nurse and play and hang out, just us 3 girls. This is a sample of the kind of conversation we usually have:
What can I say. My kids are silly and goofy, but the acorn doesn't fall too far from the oak.
(Ava was in my lap, nursing, while this video was being taken.)
Cleaned! (Someone get Mom some vodka. What, it's only 10:30 a.m., you say? So what?)
A cuddle between sisters after cleanup:*)
The decorative letters on Liesl's wall. She got these for Christmas from my parents.
'Bout time they got hung up!
4 comments:
Wow
You mean you actually clean the room after she has played?? No wonder my house is always a mess- Bwahahah OK just partially kidding here.
She is just tooooo cute! I really need to start getting more clips of Aaron since he is growing up sooo fast. I just love this age!!
I seem to remember another girl's light blue room with white wicker chair...a room that was frequently(read: almost always) a COMPLETE DISASTER. The acorn doesn't fall far from the oak, indeed! ;-)
All Liesl needs now is a smuggled parakeet. ("Air, just air! And ROCKS, yeah, air and rocks.")
It's amazing what kids can find in a room when you didn't think there was anything to really get into. :o)
Brilliant!
I sense a change in my household. ;)
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