Thou Shalt Nap!

Well, we found out the hard way that both girls require naps.  I'm talking good naps too!

So far we have successfully avoided four tantrums with our littlest one.  The first was at the DMV.  When I got to the window, I told the lady she was very lucky because she was about to get to see a good tantrum.  Sunshine got mad because I made her sit in her own chair after she wouldn't listen when I told her to stop thrashing around on my lap.  Then she sat in the chair and made a fool of herself.  Finally, I told her if she kept it up the security guard would say something to her.   Which, I could tell he wasn't far from it because she was going to break the chair.  So she stood up, I could see her looking for her out.  She was about to run when I scooped her up and sat her in my lap.  She started the whole, "don't touch me, leave me alone, put me down" bit.  Then I said, "Let me tell you a funny story about daddy"  instantly she snapped out of it.  I continued to tell her how he screams like a little girl when he sees a spider.  She laughed, and my number was called! 

As for the other three tantrums, well I used similar techniques.  We talked!  It works for her.  I can see that she just never gets listened to.  There are too many other children to compete for attention with at her current foster home, so our willingness to listen and talk is making the difference for her. 

We had a mid-day two hour nap, and that made a big difference in her mood. 

As for our six year old, well she needs naps too!  She gets very whiney and cries over stupid things when she's tired.  She actually napped in the van for an hour yesterday while we went grocery shopping (husband was in the van w/ her).  Then we came home and she slept for two more hours.  She was obviously overly tired. 

Speaking of the van... read my next post!

That is all for this morning!  I'm going to make breakfast.