HELP! 3 Day YT and Rain, Rain, Rain!

amother

Aqua

Mon, May 14 2018, 4:38 pm

Our plans to go away for Shavuos just fell through. Aside for the fact that I work a ton and haven't started menu planning, shopping or cooking, I am most overwhelmed with keeping my kids entertained.

They have been bickering and fighting so so much lately, and my nerves are shot after one bedtime routine, let alone THREE DAYS!

We are newish to our neighborhood, so not eating out or anything, plus I have more kids than ppl usually want to invite. And I don't really have close Jewish neighbors that we can chill with.

So I was freaking out already, but now that I checked the weather in NYC I just want to cry!!! So much rain!

Ladies of various aged kids, how are we doing this???

What ideas work for you?

thunderstorm

Mon, May 14 2018, 4:45 pm

How old are your kids? I go to the library on Friday and take out tons of books so that my bookworms are busy reading for hours.
I will buy one new board game or card game for them to play with.
I will try to get everyone to take a nap in the afternoon since the night Seudos are pretty late.
I will let them put raincoats on and go out for a walk in the rain just to let off steam.
I will sit and shmooze with my kids while the others play.
I find that if I am involved and don't leave them to their own devices they behave better. They love attention even if it just means talking about noneswnse.
I'm also blessed with a screened in porch with a roof so we sit out and enjoy the fresh air and don't get wet.
It's not going to be easy that's for sure ! Three days of rain definitely puts a damper on things. Pun intended

DVOM

Mon, May 14 2018, 7:16 pm

Oh dear, that does sound very hard... We have the opposite set up this year. We were really excited to stay home for the chag, but we heard through the family grapevine that another family member needs company this yomtov and can't travel to us, so we are traveling to them. I'm working on keeping my thoughts balanced: three days in someone else's house will be challenging in some ways, but wonderful in others.

OK, meals: I also work full time and don't have a lot of time to fuss with fancy meals. Our plan was to make the two night meals dairy and eat scrambled eggs, noodles and cheese, and ice cream. For one day meal we were invited out, and the other we planned on lighting up the BBQ and making hot dogs and chicken, with a side of canned baked beans and canned corn. Food does not need to be fancy if it's going to cause you stress. I actually enjoy cooking, but I'm comfortable with my limits. These are meals our whole family likes and are so easy to make.

Regarding keeping the kids entertained: I also try to buy one new game, get tons of books out of the library, and go out regardless of the weather. Some of my best memories with my kids are the long snow and rain walks we've taken on Shabbos. We take really good snacks along with us to entice our more finicky kids out of the house, bundle up, and stay out for around an hour. When we come back everyone is pleasantly worn out and mellow. I confess though that I depend on them spending some time playing with neighbors. Is there no one nearby that you could hook up with? Make a new friend?

amother

Aqua

Mon, May 14 2018, 8:54 pm

You.guys have such good attitudes!

I realized that I'm just kvetchy because my kids are at such a hard stage and was really looking forward to not having to work so hard entertaining them. they range from toddler to preteen, and I am pg as well. I specifically have one highly emotionally dysregulated kid, and one with ADHD, and they are at each other's necks. Where we were going to be, they each had a friend that they work well with.

You had many great ideas. But your positivity is doing even more for me. Gonna buy some games and work on an attitude adjustment.

Thanks!