Christmas Contained

It's late.   I'm tired.   But Christmas has been contained.   All the parts of Christmas that I'm responsible for (interior decorations for the most part with a smattering of outdoor items) have been boxed and moved upstairs into a holding area where the steps to the attic are.   I thought this would be quick, but it was not...at all.

There were a lot of interruptions—a LOT of interruptions.   This trampoline is a great entertainer for the children.   It's also a children's magnet.   We have had happy children over at our house all day.   The children made up games, had conflicts, came to me to mediate, or just resorted to violence or throwing your friend's shoe in the prickly bushes.  

But I got the Christmas upstairs.   I got all the presents, candy, stocking items, you name it, upstairs as well.  It all needs to be sorted and put in places where they can be used.  Right now it was a massive mish-mash all over the house and while our sighted family members could find things, my daughter was having to ask.

Tomorrow, with everything in one room, I can begin the sorting process.   For now, late as it is, I'm glad Christmas has been contained back in its boxes and bins, destined for the attic tomorrow.

My Anger Management Child:  My son has an anger problem.  I was fit to be tied with him, while also desperately wanting to praise him and tell him good things about himself.  He is doing things that we have to correct as they are directed at other children, some not my own, but all the corrections are hurting his self-image.   When he threw a shoe into a bush today and the other father came over to help find it, he told me, "It's because he's a boy.  We have the same thing with Jay.   We're working on it too."   So I don't feel like we've failed completely as parents, I suppose.

The It's Not Fair Child:  My daughter was a tattletale and crybaby all day.   The trampoline is a lot of fun, but there are hard feelings when you have eight children and only three can jump at a time.   It will work itself out when the newness fades.   The parents of the other children have been positive and understanding as well as saying they like the trampoline as it's fostering cooperative play.