Too big

I heard it again last night: “Mommy, I too big for the nursery!”

How do you argue with your toddler when you know that she’s right?

Because Ane’s birthday is in December, she missed (by a fair margin, I’ll grant you) the cutoff date for the AWANA Cubbies preschool program at church. So that meant that she would be spending time in the nursery every Wednesday evening with Tad and any other kids whose parents are volunteering. It does help greatly when L., who is in Ane’s Sunday School class, is also in the nursery, because then she at least feels like someone else is being left out along with her. But on those weeks when it’s just her and Tad… in her mind, why even bother coming?? This is JUST LIKE HOME, with different toys!!

Last night, we made a quick stop for a new pack of crayons for Ane. The Webmaster’s aunt made her a book bag for Christmas that has slots for the large-sized Crayolas on a front pocket, and we’ve so far managed to keep her supplied with fresh paper. With the new crayons and the paper, she was content. Last week, Ane sat in the nursery’s Pack-and-Play and colored, which kept Tad from grabbing her crayons and chewing them. This week, I hear she shared her paper with L. (who had some crayons provided by the nursery so she didn’t have to share her new ones, which was good because according to his mom, L.’s a crayon breaker), which was nice of her.

But I’m still racking my brains for ideas to keep her occupied until preschool starts next fall. The library story time has been ideal, because it happens in the evenings and I can leave Tad at home with the Webmaster. I need an activity that I can either leave Ane at, or it needs to happen late enough in the evening for Tad to stay home with Daddy. Or pawn him off on Grandma, but Grandma does have a life outside of her grandchildren (yes, really!), and is currently watching a little neighbor baby a few days a week. Having her keep an eye on monkey-boy Tad while she’s getting paid to watch another child doesn’t seem exactly fair.

I’ll have to keep thinking, but if anyone out there has any ideas…? Or coffee. Or chocolate. You know where to find me.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 15th, 2007 at 10:09 am and is filed under Children, From the Church Front, Mommyhood.
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