Snippet #1

#1) After the children had been going 110 miles an hour for most of the day my patience was wearing thin. But...a deep breath helped me to change the course of that moment from yelling to teamwork. So after a little coaxing and putting 10 minutes on the kitchen timer, the kids were geared up to clean up their mess in the kitchen and living room. Lilly , the organizer, took charge by keeping the other kids updated on how much time was left and muttering under her breath, "oh wow, 10 minutes is really just not that long...". Finn, the workhorse, kept moving and cleaning until the job was done. Pearl, the baby, did what she does best. She kept herself out of the way...and out of the work. Sylvi, the team player, did all of the above at her own pace. So...timer dings and the job was done! A reward was in store to their surprise, but before I could even tell of it they revelled in their accomplishment. Lilly: "Group Hug guys!" All of the kids joined in the hug. Then they release, all smiles. Then... Finn: "Chest bumps!!!!" as he and Lilly jump a bit in the air and do a chest bump. Then they took turns doing chest bumps with each other. Where do they get this stuff!