The ENERGY Monster

Rainy days are very tough for me. Not just for me, but for my boys as well. We all would much prefer to spend our entire day outdoors. Unfortunately, even during nice days we must retreat home to eat, nap and so that I can keep the house somewhat clean (however, there is the logic that spending less time indoors would actually mean less mess… but it just never works out that way for me. The place is messy no matter where we spend our time. I must have messy elves that clutter my place to disaster while we’re out.) BUT on rainy days we are stuck inside for the day. Rainy days are every mother’s worst nightmare. This is when you want to clobber all those Pinterest Princesses out there. Sure, I have a “rainy day” pinterest board, what mom doesn’t? BUT WHO has time to set up these awesome looking but impossible activities? I MUST have the crafty gene, I knit and sew…. lack of craftiness is definitely not my problem. It might just be that I have too many kids, or kids that don’t like to sit still (they really don’t) or kids that never want to do the same thing at the same time.  Apparently just because they are twins doesn’t mean they will have the same interests. What gives with that? Seriously. They pretty much have NOTHING in common. Except a love of throwing wooden train tracks when angry. They both agree that doing so is a great way to let out some steam (Mommy is working tirelessly to teach them other ways deal with emotion). They both like tv! But of course I decided in a fit of desperation to remove the television from our living room in hopes that it would help with some of the “threenager” issues we’ve been having. Also, I got tired of them fighting over what shows to watch. So I’m always at a loss during rainy days of how to keep these rambunctious boys happily indoors when outdoor activities are a no-go. Today we read for most of the day, which is great…. really really great. BUT makes it hard for mama to get other things done. With coloring or any other artsy activity I’m able to be involved while flitting about the room tidying and cleaning. While reading I’ve got at least one on my lap and the crawler climbing all over me. Coloring only entertains one of the twins, and only for about 10 minutes… then he needs some other form of activity. I find if he is bored, he gets what I call “ENERGY”. “ENERGY” is a disease that causes the child to start running back and forth, over and over again, sometimes with a twirl or two but ALWAYS with arms splayed out in hopes that things (the messier or louder the better) will be knocked over. I make him clean it up but that doesn’t seem to deter him at all.. I’m flummoxed because I do believe a bit of boredom is actually healthy for a child and helps to build imagination. But so far it only seems to feed my child “ENERGY”. When he does this I usually can calm him down with some pretend school work, but again, that lasts maybe 5-10 minutes before the ENERGY monster strikes again. Luckily, they no longer launch off the couch like they used to do. I don’t really know how I got them to stop doing that.  It was honestly probably just that they got bored of it.

So is it just this age? This lack of focus? Actually, they CAN focus. They could spend hours being read to (but they have to be able to move while listening), playing trains and cars, and I’m fine with that…. they do get in fights over trains and cars though, which means it never really actually lasts HOURS.

The ENERGY monster distracted with the help of mommy's camera phone

Please, I’m open to some rainy day suggestions. This mama needs some fresh ideas!