Mail-Week 1

So in my quest to do things with Emmett, we decided to write a letter to his teacher.  Because he loves the mailman mail carrier so much, I thought this would be a great opportunity to do some hands-on learning with him.  We wrote a letter to his teacher (okay, side story: We were having a great time drawing, and he kept pretending like he was going to write on the wall with his crayons.  I kept telling him that if he did that, we would have to stop our picture/letter to his teacher and put his crayons in Toy Time Out.  So what did he do?  Wrote on the wall.  I think I was more upset that we had to stop our fabulous mommy-son activity that I was so proud of and forcing on my son than he was.  Isn't that always the way?) and put it in an envelope.  I had to explain what an address was and why it was important.  Of course, I didn't have any stamps so we had to wait for me to get some from the store before the "lesson" could proceed.  I finally got the stamps, let him put it on (we're lucky it made it to the envelope), and headed to the post office (another place he LOVES).

Now, mailing a letter can take about 5 seconds when you drive through and put the letter in the box.  But now that wouldn't really be the right way to go about this.  So instead, I drag a two-year-old and a baby inside the post office just so he can stick the letter in the mail slot himself.  I got a strange look from the man who held the door for me but still tried to beat me to the line.  Thankfully I wasn't headed there or he could have gotten the stroller on the back of his ankles in a heartbeat.  He seemed to be saying, "Um, lady, you can just drive through over there.  Idiot."  So in we shuffle, stick the letter in the mail slot, and shuffle back to the car.

At the library today, we got two books on mail/mail carriers.  One book talks about what happens to the mail (The Post Office Book: Mail and How it Moves by Gail Gibbons) and one is called Goodbye, Curtis which is about a mail man who is retiring.  Guess what Emmett's teacher's name is who we mailed the letter to?  CURTIS!  We were MEANT to do this.  :)

I added my own personal note in the envelope to Curtis to explain what we were doing in hopes that she'll make a big deal about it on her end when she gets the letter.  The books and a little explaining here have helped him understand how it works, and I truly think he gets it.  We went out and met the mailman today when he dropped off the mail, too.  I am happy with how this whole experience went, but now I have to think of another one for next week.  :)

Unplugging

Have you seen this car commercial?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkljLxddVI4

I know it was meant to sell cars, but it struck home with me.  I feel like I spend most of my free time in front of the TV and the computer.  In this day and age where childhood obesity is at its highest, and I am certainly not winning any awards for being in shape, I am trying to look at the message I'm sending to my children.  When Emmett comes home from daycare where he's had fun all day with NO electronics, he sees me sitting in front of the TV or the computer, he gets bored and wants to do nothing but watch TV.  I feel like that's a huge parenting FAIL.  Don't get me wrong, there are times when I just need 10 minutes to feed Annie or 5 minutes to unwind, and Fireman Sam IS super hot, but he doesn't need to see me doing that for hours at a time.

So this week I have made a promise to myself to try to make a change.  When he comes home or when I spend time with him, I want to be completely unplugged.  This morning, it would have been so easy for me to turn on Super Why and he would be a happy camper.  However, Annie was cooperating while Greg cut the grass, so I sat down and played with my child.  We looked at pictures, we wrote a letter to his teacher at school, we played with puzzles, jumped up and down (not recommended for those with prolapse), and just had fun spending time together.  I feel better (less guilty), and I have to say I feel like I have a little more energy.

I don't want him growing up thinking that "really living" is us sitting in front of the TV or the computer.  In this age where everything is on a screen, I want him to look up and see what's going on in the world right in front of him.

To anyone reading this: PLEASE do not feel like I'm being judgmental of you or your parenting if your child is watching TV.  This is something I want to do to help ME unplug, to enjoy the world that's around me, and to encourage my children to do the same.  I may be back to watching TV tomorrow, but for today, I want to try to make a change.