Too much shouting!

So, dh and I have been in huge discussions this evening... And yesterday evening too. We've been discussing our family and all that's wrong with it right now. The main thing is the shouting. We all shout and its really getting me down right now.

Before the children got to 2 (ish) and 4 (ish) dh and I never shouted. We never argued with each other.... Rarely even had heated conversations. So what changed? The children started having arguments, we moved areas so dh was commuting a long distance so he was more tired and grumpy and I was (at the time) working 3 days a week and studying for two and exhausted. So with all that going on we got grumpy and shouty... and so did the children.

You see, children learn by example. So they were learning that if they weren't happy with something then you shout. The more they shouted, the more we shouted.... And so it had continued.

But now the children are nearly 8 and 10 and the shouting is getting louder and more ferocious. So something needs to be done. And it needs to be done now.

So dh and I have just made a pact that we will try to parent more gently and to try and not shout any more. Easier said than done after all these years.... But we can only try.

Where is spring?

A couple of weeks ago it reached 17 degrees in our town!! 17 degrees. I didn't even need a coat on and neither did 10 month old F. The skies were blue...

Then today... We woke to this!!

Seeing as we'd planned a day out including a picnic we were not impressed.

 So we decided to take a walk to the library and get some more books (we're all book obsessed in our house!)  And spend the rest of the day chilling, reading and crafting.

At one point daddy and F were taking a snooze so C and N starting some papier maché crafting and I decided to get going on sorting out our spring season table (just so I can pretend it is going to be spring soon!) I've got lots of ideas of what else to put on the spring table and so has N. We have ideas for painting, felt items, photographs, tissue paper items... Let's hope we continue to find time to do it all.

 What have I done with F this week? Water play, walks to the park, visited Nanny and Grandad, library visits, painting, messy play with cornflour, as always lots of looking at books, taking puzzles apart, baths and housework with F on my back in the mei tai.