Help with busy preschooler!

sigh.  i wish i had an answer for you.

Blessings, 

Amy

I’ve found a couple different things that have worked here, but I don’t know if they will help in your situation…

Last year I split my read aloud’s into two separate times rather than trying to do it all at once. I did our first read aloud session right after the young one who was causing the problem would finish eating lunch. She would eat and then want to get down from the table and play… so the older ones and I would stay at the table, they would finish eating, and I would read. This worked really well in my house b/c I had several who were too young to be interested in what I was reading and so they’d all go play, which kept the toddler happy. 

Then the big kids would clean up lunch while I did some read aloud time with the little kids, including the noisy toddler, and I would get them ready for naps, etc. Once the littles were down for their afternoon naps, the older kids and I could get in some more reading time. 

Now I will admit up front that this is a LOT of reading all in a row for mom. It was not the easiest thing in the world and sometimes I would cancel the second read aloud time just because I needed the break or because we all really needed to spend some time outside. But overall we made progress through the books I wanted to read to them. 

Speaking of outdoors, sometimes it works to take the read alouds outside and let the littles play while you read to the olders.

And, you know, it’s a season. It’s pretty cute that when they are little they just want to copy what mom is doing. They grow so fast… enjoy it! That really is the single most important thing. 

Blessings,

Jenn

I have to admit my preschoolers/toddlers are happy playing in the bedroom (making a mess at times though) or colouring.  They LOVE colouring/drawing so that helps a LOT.

One important thing – do something to fill their “love tank” before working with the olders.  Read them a book, or do something they enjoy…

Mine are to just sit and listen with us.  I keep it short and they practice sit time or blanket time.  We try to do a LOT of audio books so we are all in the car and everyone just listens along.  But there are times we read at home and they know they have to sit.  Just so you know we are taking almost 2 yrs dd, 3.5yr dd and a wiggly 5yr ds.  It’s all what you want and what you want to instill in them.  Good luck.

But a couple things I do when I don’t care if they listen this day or that is the following: Time for a leapfrog movie, seperate area (safe) with toys, do our read alouds during nap time or after they go to bed.  These just are a few that come to mind.  

Misty I hear you on expecting it, but I have had only 6 months to train DD, who is 30 months old. She was adopted just 6 months ago. We’er getting there but it takes time!