Last Sunday we did something I had originally planned to do more of in 2020: hire a sitter for the baby so we could go do a big kid activity. Our summer sitter agreed to work some overtime hours, and we took the older four fishing for the day.
I think fishing is supposed to be a relaxing activity. We were more of a comic scene. We rented a boat on a lake about 90 minutes from here, and my husband and I weren’t doing a great job on the maneuvering + anchoring part at first, which made my 13-year-old rather stressed. The excitement of worms and fishing poles was also quite something for the 5-year-old. The appeal of sitting still and waiting for the fish to bite was, perhaps, lost on the kids. We didn’t catch anything. BUT! It was a nice day on the lake, sunny and reasonable while sitting under the boat canopy. Taking a little break from the baby too was also nice, and more possible as he’s become amenable to a cup and cereal. I hope to do a few more big kid activities in the next few months.
This week has been challenging. We learned that our school district will be virtual until October at least. The 5-year-old will attend a private half-day kindergarten enrichment program (public K is only half day around here) and that is supposed to open in person. Fingers crossed. I am trying to keep my stress levels under control. Easier said than done, and unfortunately it tends to result in a jaw-clenching habit that has become painful. The internet’s advice: reduce stress levels. Thanks Dr. Google! Maybe the internet can convince my baby to sleep more than 3 hours at a stretch overnight.
Anyway, no big plans for the weekend. This morning I forgot to wake a kid up for his camp. I think I thought it was the weekend already.
We raised our three children in San Francisco. But I grew up in a fairly outdoorsy, athletic family and I wanted my kids to experience things like sailing, horseback riding, hiking, camping and fishing. I was pretty successful…except for the fishing part. The only place I could find was a lake stocked with fish above the Napa Valley . I rented poles and bought some bait at the concession stand. Lo and behold, after an hour or so, my oldest son caught a fish. It was wriggling and bloodied. To make matters worse, we had trouble getting the hook out. Eeeeuuuuuu….yuck…oh, the poor thing..they said. We brought it home, intending to cook it, but no one wanted to eat it. Maybe it’s better that you didn’t catch anything 🙂
We are boat owners and I can tell you the maneuvering and anchoring are not always easy! Don’t do any fishing though.
Sorry to hear about the schools- that’s really hard.
I have a bottle hating baby the same age as yours. What cups have you had success with? Need to figure that out so I can get a break! thanks!
@Mara – we have a Tommee Tippee cup that he seems to be OK with. I just bought it off Amazon. He will take it when I am clearly not around.
I took my daughter fishing last summer and she loved it. Didn’t catch anything, but she still had fun. Need to figure out the logistics of doing it here.
I, too, am a jaw clencher. So much so that I broke a crown. 🙁 Get thee to a dentist and have a bite guard made. It resolved my sore jaw, serial cracked tooth situation and headaches immediately. It takes a few nights to get used to, but now I can’t sleep without it.
Agree! I clench/grind my way through a splint every 2-3 years. And they’re a lifesaver for teeth and jaw pain. I’ve also found that using a hot pack on my jaw before bed (especially one of those moist heat “bed buddy” ones) also makes a difference. Maybe that’s something accessible you can try right away?
If the jaw pain keeps up, Botox can be a life saver. I went through some terrible family stress in Spring 2019 and tried all of the things. Physical therapy and a TMJ appliance (different from a night guard which just protects teeth but doesn’t keep you from clenching) helped a ton but Botox has gotten me pain free. It might be an easier solution right now too. Jaw pain is the worst. Good luck.
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For the tight muscles of the face/jaw: somatic or Feldenkrais movements.
You can do them in bed. They are very effective.
Here’s some for the face: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpkU9XneRrU&feature=youtu.be