Sunbeams, here we come!

For anyone wondering what to do for the nursery kids as they approach the age of three and prepare to join the older kids as sunbeams in the primary, it is not waiting until two weeks before the end of the year to talk to them about it! It is probably much better to talk to them about it in October, and then have them join just for the singing part, and then come for the entire time.

There are two weeks until our kids join the big kids in real classes at church. Their class will be called "Sunbeams" I have heard the nursery leaders mention before that the kids in there just have a really short attention span and the lessons need to be kept short. I have seen several children that fit that description, but I believe we should be teaching them what will be expected of them, not catering to their current level. By this, I mean trying to get them to sit in the chair a little longer each week instead of saying, "Oh, they can only handle it for about 5 minutes so if we have a lesson that is four minutes long it will be good enough." I am not saying this is what the teachers in their nursery class have been doing, I really do not know. I am also guilty of not teaching them better at home myself. This is a mistake!

They were introduced to primary today. I have been asking for a month or two now when this will occur. I learned it was today when I heard Evan's screaming protest from the other side of the building. He did NOT want to be there! The other kids were okay for a few minutes, but it was a very few. When I heard Evan, I went in to help and sit with him. Didn't help much. Steve came too. I left to teach the R.S. class. I heard Evan more. I eventually left and brought him to class with me. I have not had a kid in class with me since they were about 19 months old! My friend eventually took him out and stayed in the hallway with him until it was time to go home. Someone in the primary asked what was wrong with my kids. They were all a bit rowdy today.

Earlier in sacrament meeting, I leaned over to Steve and said, "I think we have a few ADD kids today." As they were all climbing over each other and bouncing off the chairs (Lily and Marek), singing ABC's repeatedly (Dallas), blowing raspberries in the air (Brenden and Lily), trying to escape and run out of the chapel (Evan and Marek)... The good part here is that we have learned not to take anything hard that could hurt a neighbor when thrown. Steve said to me, "Ya think?!?!" Evan did manage to escape, made a new friend who flagged him down. I ended up taking Dallas out, with Lily. This does not happen often since it causes more work than it is usually worth.

While we were out having our "time out", Dallas managed to trip me. I twisted my ankle, landed on his head, which pushed him into the wall. And since I was holding Lily, I banged her head against mine. Dallas laughed of course. We were really on one today! Maybe it was all the parties over the weekend full of sugar. Maybe it was lack of sleep. Maybe it was the stress of their mother rubbing off on them. (Finals this week!) Maybe it was just our turn to be crazy. All I can say is I hope those teachers are ready for the new sunbeams class!!!

After church, we went to choir practice. While we were there, the kids gave Grandma a run for her money! They have new toys from Santa that cause many problems, more on that another day. They got paint out and painted a few things, washable, some bubbles took over the kitchen thanks to Stephen. Marek broke a baby Jesus Dallas was painting. Stephen decided to disassemble my bulletin board and make one of his own…. Luckily, the exploding diaper happened when I was home this morning!

And Sunday is supposed to be the day of rest. We had a great choir practice followed by a sing a long. I thought this was just when everyone went and sang along, but it is when each ward choir in the stake performs a piece and the rest of the people there sing a verse in between while the choirs trade places. It was nice – we were the best, in my opinion. Other people had their kids there. I was glad ours were not today! A boy in Stephen's class gave us some chocolate fudge as a gift. His mom said he was excited about it. It was nice. Thanks for tending for us Grandma! Now that I have that out of my system, I will attempt to study for a final or two.