Hanging out at the science museum

Today the weather was a perfect. The kids and I met Grandma and Grandpa for lunch and then we all went over to the science center. There were quite a few newer exhibits that we hadn't seen, yet. The kids played in different simulators driving cars and flying planes.

In the dinosaur room, they watched a movie about gigantic creepy crawly prehistoric bugs.

There is a new tree exhibit. The kids climbed all over the tree. They also listened to different outdoor sounds and tried to identify what made the sound.

Megan hanging out on the planets.

We had a great time. Then we came home and made a bunch of muffins for breakfast tomorrow.

I think our trip today will probably be out last big outing for just a little while. I think we need to spend some time home refining our listening skills. In the same manner that we hung around the house when the kids were potty training, I think we need to take a bit of time to work on some "listening training". Each of the kids each taking their turn with going through a defiant/disrespectful/lack of self-control phase. It pretty much revolves around here and sometimes we can nip it in the bud and help whoever is having the problem work through it by emphasizing more down time.

This time around it happens to be Joshua's turn. Today, Megan asked if she could go play in the treehouse (we were wrapping things up in that part of the museum) I had told her, "no, we are moving over to the dinosaurs and then heading to the bathroom and then to the movie", Joshua was standing right there looking at me and as soon as I was done speaking, he says, "well, can I go play in the tree house?". I absolutely hate having to repeat myself, and lately I'm doing that all day long. Part of me thinks that's par for the course, but a bigger part of me thinks that at 6 years old, he can take a more active role in listening. I've had to resort to gently cupping his face in my hands and trying to block out all the distractions around us, but is that really necessary?

I also see him making the choice to be naughty. Tonight he was holding the bathroom door closed so that his little brother couldn't get in there. Which resulted in Daniel peeing on the floor and being very upset with himself. And me being upset because now I have to wash up Daniel and clean the floor again and throw in another load of pee-soaked clothes. I won't tolerate purposeful meanness, not even in a joking way. I'm sure a time will come when practical jokes will abound in our house, but at an age where the maturity level allows for the wisdom to differentiate when something will be perceived as fun or perceived as hurtful.

He is a very anxious little person as evidenced by his nail chewing and teeth grinding, and he needs to know that the rules are always the same, regardless of what the situation is. Right now a big thing for him is Daddy going back to work. Joshua feels comforted when his routine stays the same; and when that gets shaken up, he loses his self-control. So for the next few days, we'll really focus on giving him a chance to retreat to his room to his little cuddle corner when he starts to feel out of control.