Take your children tadpoling

Tadpoling. Remember that? How many of you went tadpoling with your dad, or your siblings, or the neighbourhood kids?

It seems to be a fading tradition these days because we've built up suburbia and practically live on top of each other. Who even knows where the tadpole are any more... right?

They're there still, it's just a matter of taking the time to look. It might be the local creek or duck pond or even storm water collection point.

My partner took our children tadpoling and they loved it. I was happy that they knew where to find them (a pool of storm water under a small bridge) and how to pass on this activity to the children. They came home with a couple of tadpoles that we put in a fish tank and watched as they became frogs, then set them free.

It's a glorious thing to watch a frog develop and morph, much like how children morph into adults only it's quicker for frogs.

What childhood activity did you love and have passed onto your child/ren? 

It's time to grow up

Is it?  Is it really time to grow up?

How often do you hear adults telling children this? To me it should be the opposite. Children should be left to be children for as long as possible because, let's face it, being an adult is hard.

There is nothing more joyful than listening to children play and laugh and have fun. It is wonderful to watch children draw, colour in, play Lego, cars, trucks, play dress-ups, paint, look for tadpoles, play with bugs, in the mud and water, climb trees, make a mess (so long as they clean it up afterwards).

All too often I hear adults saying things to children like "It's time to grow up" and I cringe. They are already growing up, essentially we all are every minute of every day, but that doesn't mean children have to give up their childhoods and their childish and playful ways.

Let children be children. 

They have plenty of time for adult stuff; bills, work, house, car etc. When they're adults and all that stuff becomes inescapable.

How to control iPad use

This refers to other electric devices as well. 

1. Only allow use every second day (or 3rd day + as is your prerogative). One day with electronics, one day without (this includes all other forms of electronics such as TV, computer, game consoles). I do allow music which they sometimes listen to on their iPads while they play.
2. Ask them to give the iPad back to you at the end of the day.
3. Pick an end time such as 6pm each night, before dinner.
4. Pick a start time during the day, on weekends, such as 10am. This is 8hrs worth of use which is more than enough time for them to get things done such as: homework, story writing, play games, drawing or looking up a picture to draw. Allow less time as is your prerogative.
5. Don't allow them to use the device alone in their bedroom without you having unlimited access.  If they work in their bedrooms have the door open with the screen facing you or near about.
6. Keep their devices in your bedroom at night or on their days off, somewhere they won't be found if one should try and snoop to try and find.  

You keep control.

In short pick a start and end time, hand the iPads out and have your children hand them back at the end of the usage time.

There are a couple of reasons for this.