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amother
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 Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:10 pm
| amother OP wrote: | | Yes ideas of what an exhausted Mom can do that will keep kids 2-15 happy and won’t make a mess! Thanks |
For the mess aspect, cover the area with plastic tablecloths so when you are done just wrap it up and toss.
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:13 pm
| amother Antiquewhite wrote: | | For the mess aspect, cover the area with plastic tablecloths so when you are done just wrap it up and toss. |
I don’t mean to be difficult but I end up with messes everywhere, paint and glue all over,
One kids needs the bathroom and she’s touching everything along the way. Then someone spills glue or paint all over the floor and while I’m cleaning that someone paints themselves then while I’m washing them another kid dumps out all the toys, etc.
I wish my life ran as smoothly as a plastic tablecloth lol
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:15 pm
| amother Antiquewhite wrote: | Ideas for at home
Bring snow inside. Set up 9x13 pans and have the kids go outside and fill them with snow. Give them plastic cups to play with. Bonus points if you add mentchies or lego figures to play with as they act snow scenes out.
Have hot cocoa with whipped cream and marshmallows ready to go after their indoor snow time.
You can buy kits for decorating wooden magnets for cheap on amazon.
Buy canvases and have a paint party. You can follow any online tutorial or have the littles paint what they wish.
Kosher.com has really fun drawing tutorials.
Make edible art snowman.
Bake sugar cookies and buy a snowflake shaped cookie cutter. Decorate with icing and clear or blue sprinkles.
Make snow out of shaving cream, salt and glue. |
Thanks!!
And this requires me to be on all day for hours and hours. And breaking up fights during these activities and handling messes during these activities etc.
I love my kids but I don’t the the stamina to be on all day.
Paint party sound great for the older ones.
Snow sounds fun- lasts an hour maybe and then I have cleanup after but at least it keeps them busy for an hour.
Good ideas I will look into all the rest
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:16 pm
| amother Antiquewhite wrote: | Ideas for at home
Bring snow inside. Set up 9x13 pans and have the kids go outside and fill them with snow. Give them plastic cups to play with. Bonus points if you add mentchies or lego figures to play with as they act snow scenes out.
Have hot cocoa with whipped cream and marshmallows ready to go after their indoor snow time.
You can buy kits for decorating wooden magnets for cheap on amazon.
Buy canvases and have a paint party. You can follow any online tutorial or have the littles paint what they wish.
Kosher.com has really fun drawing tutorials.
Make edible art snowman.
Bake sugar cookies and buy a snowflake shaped cookie cutter. Decorate with icing and clear or blue sprinkles.
Make snow out of shaving cream, salt and glue. |
Do these ideas work for your kids? Some of these I’ve done with my kids and they may last a whopping 20 minutes. And I agree with OP about the messes, a plastic tablecloth wouldn’t work for me.
Not trying to bash your ideas, just wondering if they actually work well in other families.
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:18 pm
| amother OP wrote: | I don’t mean to be difficult but I end up with messes everywhere, paint and glue all over,
One kids needs the bathroom and she’s touching everything along the way. Then someone spills glue or paint all over the floor and while I’m cleaning that someone paints themselves then while I’m washing them another kid dumps out all the toys, etc.
I wish my life ran as smoothly as a plastic tablecloth lol |
Yes, it’s very hard.
I understand. Maybe choose one or two days to do something messy and have a plan how to streamline the mess as much as possible. The rest do something neater or simpler.
Good luck!
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:21 pm
| amother DarkKhaki wrote: | Do these ideas work for your kids? Some of these I’ve done with my kids and they may last a whopping 20 minutes. And I agree with OP about the messes, a plastic tablecloth wouldn’t work for me.
Not trying to bash your ideas, just wondering if they actually work well in other families. |
Yes, they work for my kids. You have to do what works for your kids though. These are just ideas.
Take what’s good for you and skip the rest.
Another fun idea is filling up spray bottles with paint and water or food coloring and spray the snow outside. And it’s outdoors for all those concerned about messes.
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:22 pm
| amother OP wrote: | Thanks!!
And this requires me to be on all day for hours and hours. And breaking up fights during these activities and handling messes during these activities etc.
I love my kids but I don’t the the stamina to be on all day.
Paint party sound great for the older ones.
Snow sounds fun- lasts an hour maybe and then I have cleanup after but at least it keeps them busy for an hour.
Good ideas I will look into all the rest |
I personally find with kids all different ages a trip is the best as everyone is happy to get out of the house and then you come home to a nice clean house. Win all around.
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:23 pm
| amother DarkKhaki wrote: | Do these ideas work for your kids? Some of these I’ve done with my kids and they may last a whopping 20 minutes. And I agree with OP about the messes, a plastic tablecloth wouldn’t work for me.
Not trying to bash your ideas, just wondering if they actually work well in other families. |
Yes I agree with this, I said an hour but I’m dreaming for it to last that long. I just don’t understand
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:23 pm
| amother Antiquewhite wrote: | | I personally find with kids all different ages a trip is the best as everyone is happy to get out of the house and then you come home to a nice clean house. Win all around. |
Yes true so what’s a 5 hour trip (10-3)?
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:24 pm
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OP how much $ (if any) are you able to spend ? (Per day or for the week?)
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:24 pm
| amother Antiquewhite wrote: | Yes, they work for my kids. You have to do what works for your kids though. These are just ideas.
Take what’s good for you and skip the rest.
Another fun idea is filling up spray bottles with paint and water or food coloring and spray the snow outside. And it’s outdoors for all those
concerned about messes. |
Ok so say these ideas give me an hour. What do I do with the rest of the time?
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:24 pm
| amother OP wrote: | | Yes I agree with this, I said an hour but I’m dreaming for it to last that long. I just don’t understand |
You don’t need to be doing ideas like this all day. Kids can play, read or chill too. You want to do a trip a day to an activity or two a day. You don’t need to be doing activities all day.
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:25 pm
| amother Tomato wrote: | | OP how much $ (if any) are you able to spend ? (Per day or for the week?) |
So literally nothing. Even with me working we are hardly covering everything. But for the week I’m not working it’s gonna leave us very behind. I guess ideally $10 a day max.
This winter vacation is putting a huge burden on my family. I get that some want to go away but for the burden it puts on families like mine (I can’t be the only one), is it worth it?
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:26 pm
| amother OP wrote: | | Yes I agree with this, I said an hour but I’m dreaming for it to last that long. I just don’t understand |
lol ok glad I’m not the only one 😂
Idk if your teens are girls and the type to want to do this but wondering if they can run a mini camp where they can make money, stay occupied, and possibly incorporate some child care for you? Or at least leave you to only have the little kids to entertain with hopefully cheaper trips? I don’t have teens yet but I can imagine it’s hard to find an activity/trip that works for teens and little kids alike.
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:27 pm
| amother Antiquewhite wrote: | | You don’t need to be doing ideas like this all day. Kids can play, read or chill too. You want to do a trip a day to an activity or two a day. You don’t need to be doing activities all day. |
Ok but while theyre doing that they’re making messes and fighting and wanting to eat and needing me all the time. So people encouraged me to structure the day. Just trying to figure out how to structure the day so I’m not burnt out from fighting and messes after a whole trip
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:34 pm
| amother OP wrote: | | Ok but while theyre doing that they’re making messes and fighting and wanting to eat and needing me all the time. So people encouraged me to structure the day. Just trying to figure out how to structure the day so I’m not burnt out from fighting and messes after a whole trip |
Have the kids help plan in advance what they will do when they come home.
Go to the library the first day of vacation to stock up on books.
Buy craft kits that they choose in advance. Needle felting, perler beads and latch hook, diamond art kits aren’t messy and are calming.
If you have a fun playroom have the kids play. If not maybe buy a new toy for your littles.
If you’re positive about this it will make a huge difference in how this plays out.
Good luck!!
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:36 pm
OP I totally agree with you.
My girls had off Chanukah Thursday through Tuesday, then a month later Thursday through Tuesday for midwinter, then 2 weeks later for Presidents’ Day, and then we’re getting close to Purim and pesach.
When do they want parents to work to pay the tuition bills??
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:41 pm
| amother Antiquewhite wrote: | Have the kids help plan in advance what they will do when they come home.
Go to the library the first day of vacation to stock up on books.
Buy craft kits that they choose in advance. Needle felting, perler beads and latch hook, diamond art kits aren’t messy and are calming.
If you have a fun playroom have the kids play. If not maybe buy a new toy for your littles.
If you’re positive about this it will make a huge difference in how this plays out.
Good luck!! |
Yes we always do a library trip. So hard to find books for my teens, but great for littles.
Peeler beads and diamond art cause so so much frustration in my house. Someone knocks into it, toddler messes them up, etc. maybe it’s a good idea to do when littles are sleeping.
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mom!
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:45 pm
I don’t know your specific circumstances but I can tell what we sometimes do on these types of days.
My husband davens at the earliest possible minyan and I work from 7-9 am. He goes in later than usual. When he gets home, he takes over dinner, bedtime ect and I work again from 7-10. This way we don’t lose out all that work time.
Hugs, this is so challenging on a two working, middle class household.
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amother
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Sat, Jan 04 2025, 10:47 pm
| mom! wrote: | I don’t know your specific circumstances but I can tell what we sometimes do on these types of days.
My husband davens at the earliest possible minyan and I work from 7-9 am. He goes in later than usual. When he gets home, he takes over dinner, bedtime ect and I work again from 7-10. This way we don’t lose out all that work time.
Hugs, this is so challenging on a two working, middle class household. |
Thanks (unfortunately I can’t do this- I do something people related - think nursing so it’s gotta be during work hours),
And I just wonder how you hold on to your sanity with that? Sounds so so hard
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