Rug Time

One of our biggest home school challenges has emerged this year -- what can Eli do while we are busy with school work?

Let me introduce you to our sweet Eli. He is funny. He is cute. He is smart. He is ACTIVE. And, he is mischievous!!! In fact, I sometimes think Dennis the Menace would be an appropriate name for our little blondie. 

It was so much easier to school with an immobile newborn than an active toddler. He is so busy and this leads to a lot of interruptions. I anticipate interruptions, and the girls are very forgiving. But, I realize that every child -- no matter how active -- can benefit from learning to sit and play quietly and in one spot. But, this skill does NOT come naturally to our little man.

So we started working on rug time with Eli. Here is how we've done it:

I set some tubs of toys on a rug.

I set the timer. We started out with just a few minutes, but after a few weeks we are up to 15 minutes.

I explained to Eli that I expect him to sit on the rug and play until the timer goes off.

If he gets off the rug, I get up and move him back to the rug, reminding him of my expectations.

I give him hugs and tell him how proud I am when he sits for the designated time. 

I love it because, although it is only for 10 or 15 minutes, it allows me to work with the girls uninterrupted. I can keep an eye on him, and he is learning self-control. I have seen him test the limits and see if I object when he gets one foot off the rug. So funny. (How often do we test limits in our own adult ways????)

I hope this sitting-quietly technique will spill over into church on Sunday so I can hear a sermon in its entirety in the near future.