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Little kid help needed - respite kids with us first time over the weekend
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<blockquote data-quote="SuZir" data-source="post: 611549" data-attributes="member: 14557"><p>Thanks everyone! Sorry for taking this long to answer you all, but weekend was hectic.</p><p></p><p>It went fine though. Our pumpkin may not be an award winner, but it was fun and more structured schedule made things easier. Of course the boy was likely less anxious now, when he knew us little better already, so could had been just that too. Again it was however easy to see why they hope we spend lots of individual time with kids. </p><p></p><p>The boy's (I may need to come up with some names for them, the boy and the girl are kind of awkward) special interest is birds, so we did a trip to nearby bay to see the last geese, ducks and swans before they head to south. Next time they come he and husband will put up our bird winter feeding system so he can watch and photograph (he really like taking photos) birds that stay here over winter. husband has always been an avid sport pwerson so I'm sure he finds a way to introduce also this boy to many sports, but he better also gear himself for more nature orientated activities, because that is something boy seems to be very interested. husband does know his stuff also in forest, but while father in law is enthusiastic and avid hunter and nature person, husband has been more of a social hunter (same as with golf, you just have to golf and hunt with your business contacts at times to be part of 'the club' around here.)</p><p></p><p>We really have to go through what stuff we have left from our boys and then ask husband's siblings what stuff they may have left after their kids. Bikes I'm sure there are few somewhere (of course that season is about over around here now), skates certainly, but I'm not so sure about cross-country skiing equipment. In that age both of our kids competed in that so they had quality equipment and we probably gave all that away or sold through their skiing club's flee market after they didn't need it anymore. I don't know if kids have their own stuff. Cross-country skiing in part of the curriculum on our schools and pre-schools but schools do have some extra equipment for kids who don't have their own. And considering that this is single parent family with many kids and one high special need one, I'm sure budget is tight. I'm an avid cross-country skiier and I sure hope I could make some skiing trips with the girl to nearby public lean-tos/campfire places by the skiing routes.</p><p></p><p>Toys we already looked for. The boy was totally in love with difficult child's old, big pedal tractor and also enjoyed the Legos. Though our cooler Legos are for older kids (difficult child liked them a lot so we have lots of series that are meant for 10 or 12 year-olds and up) and he certainly is not able to put them together himself yet. But again, I think that is something husband can do with him. After all, they are not here to play quietly on their own and entertain themselves. </p><p></p><p>We are not opposed using few bucks here and there to buy things we can play with them. Certainly don't want to overplay it though. As I said, family has it tight and it would be very awkward if kids would start to whine home about why mom doesn't buy them this or that, when SuZir and her husband give that to them too. However, when I know the kids and the mom better, i plan to talk about taking kids to some activities that cost a little. Like maybe taking them to theatre or children's fairs with entrance fee etc. But that I really have to talk with the mom first and see how she feels. And they did brought some of their favourite toys with them, so that is good too. </p><p></p><p>Reading is one of my favourite activity with kids and we do have lots of good children's books left, so that is something we will definitely be doing a lot. Pottery is something I will need to keep in mind, same with the craft ideas. I love the Janet's idea about bracelets and necklaces. It has been highly trendy around here to make your own jewellery for few years now, so we have a good variety of stuff related to that from plastic beans for small kids to stuff adults use to make mostly silver jewellery. I have to go to shop that sells that stuff and pick up some wood beans and stones and other things needed before their next visit. I think she would like to do some necklaces and bracelets and I think it would be a fun idea, if we would make some Christmas presents together from those. To her mom and grandma (who lives several hundreds kilometers away, which is basically why they need respite family, we are basically covering for grandparents living too far to take them regularly) and maybe to some friends. Wood beans and pretty stones are inexpensive and you can actually make really nice looking necklaces from them also for adults.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="SuZir, post: 611549, member: 14557"] Thanks everyone! Sorry for taking this long to answer you all, but weekend was hectic. It went fine though. Our pumpkin may not be an award winner, but it was fun and more structured schedule made things easier. Of course the boy was likely less anxious now, when he knew us little better already, so could had been just that too. Again it was however easy to see why they hope we spend lots of individual time with kids. The boy's (I may need to come up with some names for them, the boy and the girl are kind of awkward) special interest is birds, so we did a trip to nearby bay to see the last geese, ducks and swans before they head to south. Next time they come he and husband will put up our bird winter feeding system so he can watch and photograph (he really like taking photos) birds that stay here over winter. husband has always been an avid sport pwerson so I'm sure he finds a way to introduce also this boy to many sports, but he better also gear himself for more nature orientated activities, because that is something boy seems to be very interested. husband does know his stuff also in forest, but while father in law is enthusiastic and avid hunter and nature person, husband has been more of a social hunter (same as with golf, you just have to golf and hunt with your business contacts at times to be part of 'the club' around here.) We really have to go through what stuff we have left from our boys and then ask husband's siblings what stuff they may have left after their kids. Bikes I'm sure there are few somewhere (of course that season is about over around here now), skates certainly, but I'm not so sure about cross-country skiing equipment. In that age both of our kids competed in that so they had quality equipment and we probably gave all that away or sold through their skiing club's flee market after they didn't need it anymore. I don't know if kids have their own stuff. Cross-country skiing in part of the curriculum on our schools and pre-schools but schools do have some extra equipment for kids who don't have their own. And considering that this is single parent family with many kids and one high special need one, I'm sure budget is tight. I'm an avid cross-country skiier and I sure hope I could make some skiing trips with the girl to nearby public lean-tos/campfire places by the skiing routes. Toys we already looked for. The boy was totally in love with difficult child's old, big pedal tractor and also enjoyed the Legos. Though our cooler Legos are for older kids (difficult child liked them a lot so we have lots of series that are meant for 10 or 12 year-olds and up) and he certainly is not able to put them together himself yet. But again, I think that is something husband can do with him. After all, they are not here to play quietly on their own and entertain themselves. We are not opposed using few bucks here and there to buy things we can play with them. Certainly don't want to overplay it though. As I said, family has it tight and it would be very awkward if kids would start to whine home about why mom doesn't buy them this or that, when SuZir and her husband give that to them too. However, when I know the kids and the mom better, i plan to talk about taking kids to some activities that cost a little. Like maybe taking them to theatre or children's fairs with entrance fee etc. But that I really have to talk with the mom first and see how she feels. And they did brought some of their favourite toys with them, so that is good too. Reading is one of my favourite activity with kids and we do have lots of good children's books left, so that is something we will definitely be doing a lot. Pottery is something I will need to keep in mind, same with the craft ideas. I love the Janet's idea about bracelets and necklaces. It has been highly trendy around here to make your own jewellery for few years now, so we have a good variety of stuff related to that from plastic beans for small kids to stuff adults use to make mostly silver jewellery. I have to go to shop that sells that stuff and pick up some wood beans and stones and other things needed before their next visit. I think she would like to do some necklaces and bracelets and I think it would be a fun idea, if we would make some Christmas presents together from those. To her mom and grandma (who lives several hundreds kilometers away, which is basically why they need respite family, we are basically covering for grandparents living too far to take them regularly) and maybe to some friends. Wood beans and pretty stones are inexpensive and you can actually make really nice looking necklaces from them also for adults. [/QUOTE]
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Little kid help needed - respite kids with us first time over the weekend
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