Yes for a day COMPLETED!

So far today has been a lot less stressful than I expected.  It’s 20 past 4 in the afternoon, and I’m stopping at 7pm which is their normal bedtime (it’s school in the morning, so sleep is not optional).

Today the kids have done a lot more than I usually let them, and it’s been an eye-opener for me.  I said yes to Mapera helping me with clearing the breakfast table, then she decided to do all her jobs as well; so her bed is made, her room is tidy and she put away all the things in the “tidy-up box”.  Her brother and sister had a ½ hour bath and Mapera decided to make Kaitereo’s bed for her too, so their room is looking lovely, and I didn’t even have to nag!

I cut Mapera’s hair yesterday due to tangle issues, and Kaitereo asked if I would cut her hair today.  I had to say yes, even though my hack job on Mapera’s hair did not fill me with confidence.  Luckily, they both love their haircuts and have declared that they don’t want to go back to the hairdresser again.

They’ve also been allowed to look at my pictures in frames that sit on the windowsill.  Usually I am afraid of breakages, but they were very careful and put them back afterwards, Hakopa also enjoyed saying “Uncle Tom” repeatedly.

We found some balloons to play with after breakfast, and then Mapera asked if they could watch a DVD as it was raining.  I said yes but after Hakopa went to sleep, and they agreed.  They then proceeded to have a 4 hour Clanger and Bagpuss marathon, with toast and butter for lunch in front of the TV.  After that Hakopa had woken up, so I insisted on it being switched off and they went outside to play.

We ran 3 races, and I helped Mapera and Kaitereo to ride on the big bike, and caught some chickens for Hakopa to pat.
I had to start getting dinner ready at that point, and the kids have been playing really nicely.  Afternoon tea time rolled around, and they asked for oranges to eat outside.  Then they wanted Tigerstix which I usually ration to 2 or 3 each.  Mapera had 9 and Kaitereo had 9 and Hakopa had 5.  Fortunately that was all the junk in the house eaten, so they had a drink of milk and went off to play again.

I’m going to make some playdough after writing this, something I have been promising to do for weeks and not got around to yet and which Kaitereo asked for again today.

Ok so now it’s 9pm and they went off to bed at normal time.  Dinner time was pretty normal, they wanted special cups and glasses which I said yes to, and they wanted to get down and play before pudding which was their final yes before bedtime rolled around.

Overall it was a much easier day than I feared, mainly because they spent most of it glued to the DVD.  I did insist that they keep asking nicely for things, and the old threats that the treat thing would be removed if they started fighting stayed.

I would not repeat the 4 hour telly marathon again, but I am going to be saying yes to them helping more, yes to the special cups more and yes to them looking at the photos of my friends and family (under supervision) more.  Now I just need a day where they say yes to everything I ask.