I loved your advent calendar days, what inspirational ideas it gives to children and to adults also, that the rewards they learn about and as the calandar proceeds, benefit from, are not the usual candy, small toys, ornaments and so on…

I also share your blog with hubby, each time we reflect back to your beautiful wedding, seems like it was just yesterday, we are coming up on our 30 th can you imagine that?

I want to truly commend you Sara on the dedication you have made to teach your children in Nature and Nurture as we tend to forget during our busy driving here and there those sweet little voices echoing from the back, asking what is that and where is this Mommy, forget is not the word I was looking for, I think tuning them out is a better word, more harsh in a sense, but we parents deserve it.

There is not one parent out there that has to tuned out their child for some sort of higher priority situation, it makes sense to do so for you, the adult, but to the child, who comes to your knee often times, does not understand why mom can’t stop everything at that moment (no matter how much we would like to) and play with them, sing to them, go outside and count the bricks with them, anything to get mom and dad’s time.

As long as this does not fall into a pattern that happens over and over and over and the parent explains to the child later on, or before that important call or meeting or whatever it is that is keeping them away, it is vital that the parent lets the child know that you will return, what time you will return (put an old clock on the wall without batteries and move the hands to the time you expect to be back, give yourself 15 minutes leeway, give or take.

We found with our own children that this earned a very special trust in our children for us and vice/versa. If you are going to be truly later then you said, CALL the child and talk with him/her and let them know you are fine and you will be home soon.

Like you and Casey, we never had many babysitters, as in people we hired to sit. In our eyes, we did not make our children to have someone else raise them, if it took working different shifts at the hospital and hubby going in early to frame, so he could take off at 3:30 so he would be home, I would be up by then and at least have an idea although it was often a foggy one of what we should invent for supper that night.

Now to my original comment…you know me, I tend run on about things, sorry about that.

Having a fun activity for each day as you have written in your delightful format makes the day go faster for everyone, we all know that. And after they create their master pieces, depending on the project, maybe they could post them to their room window, or if they have bunk beds, under the first bunk for full visual comfirmation that the work is there and for the one on the top, maybe figure a way to attach it to the ceiling, perhaps one of the 3 sided story boards they have at most craft stores, unfold it, tack it up there and you will then attach the art work to that, avoiding unsightly holes in your ceiling, I tried some of that sticky stuff they have for hooks and stuff, and it really does work, it pulls right off when you are finished with it and leaves no mark of ever being there.

Well, this has turned into a book, sorry about that, I did not mean to go on and on….Happy Holiday Season and if you think of us, we would love a call sometime.