Postby Harriet » Wed Jan 28, 2009 10:24 pm
Hi, Brandy!
Yes, it's better to avoid tv in the mornings because little kids get too "into it" and older kids get distracted and let prep time slip away (and make you crazy). But if you ever find yourself having to compromise and have tv anyway - a DVD of a half-hour program series that is divided on its menu will have program segments that are as short as 20 minutes. If you started one of those 20-25 minutes before time to leave the house it would finish and stop by itself on your chosen timing, returning to the boring menu screen. So it wouldn't be like, "Mommy turned it off!" at the worst possible moment. Choose a calm show, though!
If it were me, I might figure out some simple chores that involve nothing breakable, like making the kid's beds, folding everyone's pjs, - whatever seems right for your household. Then divide into teams of the 4 and 5 yr old together and the 7 yr old helping the 2 yr old and have 10 minutes of chore time. You could give little ones a damp paper towel and tell them to clean fronts of appliances while you worked in kitchen. How ambitious is that? Am I dreaming? LOL!
If you don't believe in miracles, you're not being realistic.