Standing while Montessori-ing

My friend sent me a post about boys,  and their energy level. If you haven't heard or experienced it.... it's high!  Rico is also a spirited boy (which deserves its own post).

Anyway, I have read post after post, and seen countless pictures of little boys sitting and doing their work. Am I missing something? Do these mom's (or dad's) snap the photo at the precise moment?  Are these boys sitting nicely for long periods of time?  If not, where are the posts about it?

I'm putting it on the world wide web for all to read: MY SON WON'T SIT STILL. He needs to move his body. Asking him to pay attention while sitting quietly and reverently is almost painful for him (except at church). OK, not painful, but near impossible. And then....he acts bored. He starts saying "no" and "I don't know" even though he can and we are doing something really fun that he should say "yes" to. 

Today, I had a brilliant idea (it happens once in awhile). He was matching the names of colors. He was starting to wiggle and starting to look bored. I said "run around the couch." "Run back the other way." I high fived him every time he went around.  Then I handed him another name; he matched it quickly and then stared at me with his perfect grin.  I told him to run again. He ran,  high fived and went back the other way.  Matched quickly again and kept going.  He finished quickly and asked before we went up for his nap when he would get do it again. Success.

I need reminders. My son needs to move his body. He focuses better with an outlet for his energy. He needs to sing,  dance, pretend, imagine, jump. This does not mean anything is wrong with him.

On the contrary: he is interesting, lively, lovely, entertaining, energetic, dramatic, caring and smart. He has eyes you can't lie to. And ears you can't lie to. He remembers everything. 

My son won't sit still for nomenclature cards. But if he's running, he'll do them faster than me!

Prepping the Activity

I am not the best at prepping for an activity.  This is something I'm trying to work on.  Activities always go better if I'm not scrambling.  I'm calmer, they are too and usually we have fun. 

Below are a couple of activities I had set for the boys.  The clothespins were for Deddy.  Geometric shapes with toothpicks for Rico. 

Fevers

What about fevers?

"And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year were very frequent in the land—but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate-" Alma 46:40

I love that we have a scriptural reference for a specific illness.  I love the Book of Mormon. 

When my babies had fevers, the routine didn't change.  I gave them milk and lots of snuggles. 

When they were a little older, just to help them sleep (very rarely) we would give them some acetaminophen.  Sometimes we still do this.  Deddy is a restless sleeper when he's sick and this seems to help him rest more easily. 

I am with the group of people that believes fevers really aren't a bad thing (most of the time).  They are alerting the body that it is time to rest and that there is an infection or waste of some kind that is trying to be eliminated. 

Making sure kids are going to the bathroom seems to help fevers.  Constipation keeps the waste in the body.  If kids are old enough to take pills, using Dr Christophers lower bowel formula will quickly remedy a constipated person.  :)  For younger kids, a catnip enema if you are really concerned.  Make up a glass of catnip tea, proceed with the enema... near or in the bathroom/tub.  Raspberry tea keeps things moving, so will a smoothie with some extra greens and fiber (we use flax seed if we need any extra).

If you feel the fever is too high or you are at all worried, a natural fever reducer is a catnip bath.  I have used this once with Rico and once with Deddy and it helped quickly.  Catnip and Chamomile are great before bed.  I fill up a bowl of water, steep the herbs and add to the bath water. Yarrow tea is another excellent fever tea.

I rely on the fever to help rid the body of excess toxins, bacteria or viruses.  So, usually I don't try to bring it down.  I use herbs to help the body when needed. 

Wintertime Illnesses

Sick Deddy

There are a few standards in our house for when we get sick.  They differ depending on the sickness and my "feeling" at the time.  I always like to say a prayer to know how best to help my family and I feel like I am usually drawn to one or several of the methods below:

Colloidal Silver: some people think silver is a crock.  It works for us.  My niece contracted hand, foot, mouth disease and was over at our house just before being diagnosed.  We all took silver liberally and none of us contracted it.  Sometimes all a sore throat needs is a little bit of this and the cold never progresses.

Elderberry tincture: great for sore throats, strep, colds, flu. Antiviral and antibacterial-it is a great remedy. 

Kyolic: this is a very concentrated garlic product-supposedly odorless (I can smell it a little).  We prefer the liquid form: it is easily hidden in juice or tea.  This can even be taken as a maintenance measure.  You can find this among the garlic products in the health food section. 

Echinacea tea: antiviral/antibacterial, This been had been studied scientifically and is proven to shorten the length of the flu. It tastes amazing and my kids like it even without honey.

Raspberry Leaf Tea: this is my "go-to." Sore throat, cold, flu, fever.  This tea is also antiviral and antibacterial,  contains many minerals and vitamins, including calcium, and we drink a lot of it in our house.  J and I prefer this tea cold. 

I never sweeten tea with sugar.  We almost always use honey or nothing at all.  I have given my kids tea from the time they drink liquids other than my milk and I think because of that they rarely turn it down. 

Dr. Christopher says to be wise in how you offer tea to children and they'll learn to like it.  I know this isn't true for all people-J being one of those who still doesn't like tea-but even he has come to appreciate it.

Learning to care for myself and my family has been rewarding.  I love being able to help our bodies "help themselves."