Being a good mum

I thought Brooke would be raring to go for the new school year, but it's almost like it's the end of the term, and she's showing tired signs, being difficult and grumpy in the mornings and evenings. I spoke to her teacher and a few of the other mums and they say their kids are the same. Could be the heat, could be that the holidays took more out of them than we realised. I'm sure some of it has to do with her reduced sleep hours. She still goes to bed at 7.3opm, but because it's been so hot she is quite often lying there still awake at 9pm. It will be nice when the weather cools just a little.

Brooke got really grumpy at me last week when I told her (firmly) for the 4th time to go brush her hair before school. She stomped off to the bathroom, mumbling under her breath and closed the door. I promptly opened the door and quietly asked her if she was choosing to have a good day or a bad day. The choice was up to her. She thought about it for a few seconds and answered "A bad day!". Well I can tell you that was not what I was expecting to hear, and I burst out laughing. She couldn't help cracking a smile then, realising how silly she sounded. She snapped out of her bad mood then and there, and the rest of the morning went smoothly. I realise that how she responds to me is directly related to how I respond to her. I am trying to be more patient, speak softer, be more understanding. I'm not always successful, but I'm trying. We've started saying morning prayers before going to school too. And when my patience is being tested. The Spirit immediately calms us/me, and I know our prayers are being answered.

The girls are really enjoying Family Home Evening too. It's a new thing for us, but the kids love it. This weeks lesson was from the Nursery Manual, "Heavenly Father Has a Plan for Me". They loved all the singing (we sang LOTS of songs) and enjoyed making the mobile and colouring it in. It's hanging in their bedrooms now. Next weeks lesson is about how to pray.

And now for my latest 365 pages:





And here are some pages I've done for The Digi Chick:





My New Years Resolution is to do focused teaching and spend more quality time with Elisa. I thing we're achieving that. I feel like I've been a good mum today anyway. Today Elisa did some Kiwi Kids homework about the numbers 0 and 1.
She traced the dotted lines in her homework book, then I got out the shaving cream and we played with that on the kitchen bench, drawing 0's and 1's in the cream. She loved that.

We then went upstairs and played a number recognition game which she also enjoyed, and read a farmyard counting book that she got for Christmas from the Kemps.

Then Elisa and I played 'Mums and babies' (she was the mum), and decorated some bikkies with icing and sprinkles. We had a great time, after which she happily went down for a nap. We were expecting Aron and Clara to come over and play after school today, but they've postponed their visit till next week now, so I'm thinking of taking the girls for a bike ride or a bus ride after school instead. I'm sure they'll enjoy either activity.