Kiddie Gaga

I am a mother of routine.  

My kids have a morning routine, nap routine, bed time routine.  That's me.  I feel happier with things that way (and I think my kids do too).

Now a slightly embarassing confession here...until recently, a large part part of our routine has been that Taylor gets to watch TV while I shower and get ready each morning (Russell just follows me into the bathroom and gets into every drawer that he can).  Not my intention of course, but I often end up taking longer in the shower than I should, and then Taylor ends up sitting in front of the TV much longer than he should.  

The result: from the moment the day begins, I have cursed my preshooler into becoming a truly difficult child for the rest of the day (this is the part where I scream!  Do anyone else's kids get rude after they watch TV?)!

Well, with poor Taylor as our guinea pig first child, Andrew and I have learned a lesson in parenting and have revised TV watching in the Norris household.  At first, it took a little creativity for me to omit TV for high-maintenance Taylor and still get ready for the day, but I'm glad we made the changes that we did.  It's been really worth it.  

Since making changes, one thing that has replaced TV a lot in our house is music.  

Both of my boys love to listen to music and LOVE to dance.  At least once every day, they ask me to blast some peppy pop song though our living room speakers and push the furniture aside so they can move their little bodies around.  (And I have to add that yes, they ask.  Little 17 month-old Russell has invented a sign for "song" or "music" that looks like he's raising the roof.  Pretty cute!).

I love watching them enjoy each other, the music, and the dancing.  

I am thankful for dance and music.