On Loooong Days…

…crash the neighbors’ (anyone and everyone); invite a friend over; put huge pieces of paper on the kitchen floor, give the kids cheap shaving cream or cool whip and walk away; play outside no matter what the weather is like; let ‘em wash the dishes for as long as they want; stick them in the bathtub with measuring cups and a turkey baster until they are positively prunes; watch videos like the Signing Time series (don’t know about Signing Time?!); read, read, and then read some more until they are positively prunes (increase your child’s stamina by reading to them during breakfast, lunch or snack time); play, “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers” over and over again (nap time will arrive early that day); have a tea party; bake cookies; give ‘em a ball of yarn and kid-scissors; do puzzles; watch your child turn into a genius/ zombie as they play Sesame Street games on the computer (don’t know about Sesame Street games? Check out the playlists, especially.); let ‘em call your husband, your mother, your father, your sisters, your brothers,and  your estranged cousins; do the laundry (mere babes will sort darks and lights, put wet clothes in the dryer, AND sort underwear and socks if they know a marshmallow is coming); give older toddlers a couple of cotton balls, a wash rag and a small bowl of water to wash a plastic baby doll; smash towers of blocks with a remote control car (a recent discovery in our house – thanks SIL!); hand out scissors and an old magazine or coupon flier; take pictures of things that begin with different letters of the alphabet; watch every single Hallmark ecard before sending one to your hubby/ daddy; watch every single Hallmark ecard again before sending one to your mom, dad, sisters, brothers, etc.; finally, and most importantly, on days when you feel you have very little to offer, tip-toe around any and every already-occupied child and do not disturb them at any cost until they are positively prunes. And that will pretty much get you to lunch time.