Naked Time Out

Naked time out is my favorite. 

I'll give you a little background first.  I have the greatest pleasure in the world of being an Aunt to four amazing children.  I spent the weekend with two of them.  Betty is 3 and Louis is 6 months. 

Going to Lindsey's for the weekend use to mean something very different.  I didn't pack goodies for kiddos, there were no kiddos.  I packed beer.  And we drank all weekend.  At the house, at the beach, at a bar, in the backyard.  With each other, with Charleston friends, with Tab.  We woke up late, showered and went to eat brunch at 11am with no regard of time or schedules. 

Cut to, three years later...

Wake up call every morning 7:15a.  As sure as the sun rises every morning, you know that you will be up at this time in that house.  Luckily the way you wake up is by kisses from a very happy three year old that wakes up talking in the middle of a sentence.  "...so that's why my mermaid is in my doll house." Wait, what? I think I was sleeping during the first part of that conversation.  Louis wakes up singing.  If you walk in his room his grin goes from ear to ear while he chews on his blanket. 

Lindsey's job is to stay at home with these two kiddos.  She is amazing at it.  She has her schedule and they stick to it.  Betty responds well to a schedule and Louis is beginning to as well. 

The witching hour is between 4:30p-6:30p.  Even with two parents working towards the similar goal of getting the children fed, bathed and to bed it's a task!  You HAVE to have a routine or they will gang up on you and take you out.  I've seen it. 

Like any other "normal" three year old there are times when the body doesn't catch up with the brain.  You can hear mom and dad asking you to eat three more butter beans, but your legs just won't stay still.  Mom and dad are super patient.  That would be their super power!  Superman has nothing on Super Patient Mom and Super Patient Dad!

They are patient because they know what to expect out of their three year old.  They know that she is still learning.  They know that there will be times when she tests her limits, when she breaks down and when she doesn't want to listen.  They know she isn't doing this just to grate their nerves (mostly).  That's what makes them great at their job.  That is the difference between types of parents these days.  The ability to read your child, your patience level as an adult and knowledge of age appropriate behaviors.  This is commonly misunderstood and thought of as "Motherly instinct." It is very different.  Mothers instinct is not automatically knowing what a three year old is and is not capable of.  You have to learn that.  You have to read about it and you have to educate yourself. 

But, I digress.

With all the knowledge in the world, children will test you.  And when you ask your three year old to put on clothes for the day and she doesn't listen and runs away from you, you have a little girl "fake" crying in her panties that say Sunday on them taking the long walk down the hallway to the Time Out Chair.  "You're not crying you are just screaming" says the knowledgeable mom.  And it stops immediately.  Betty is holding the timer and before time is up, she is called back into the den.  And from down the hall you can hear in between some little sniffles "bu-but the timur is not up yet mama." She is honest, I'll give her that! 

Naked time out is my favorite.  I've seen it only once before right after bath time.  And that was a truly naked time out.  It's so funny looking in from the outside.  When Lindsey says "I hope you wake up on the good side of bed tomorrow" and Betty's response, again, between sniffles is "what side is that?"  She looks at her bed pointing asking so she can make sure they are both on the same page.  I die.  I love these stories.  To be able to visit for a weekend and see them in action is pure happiness!

It is different going to Lindsey's house now.  But I re-group and adjust well! (I think)  Wear the kids out all day Friday so they sleep hard that night.  Beer and crawfish on the back porch for me and Lindsey.  Long overdue! We have the kids Saturday (with exception to the morning with just Louis) and Tab takes them all day Sunday while we spend 5 and a half hours on the beach!

It was a fun weekend!  I'm ready to have that little girl and Raina at my house for a slumber party!