Tired of the same old’ same old’ ideas of how to keep your kids busy?
Then this one is for you – host a tea party!
If you are anything like me then you have spent your fair amount of time scouring the internet in your search for activities and ideas to keep the kids occupied. Of course, you don’t want to spend every waking moment entertaining them, as is often the case, but you also do not want to just let them run free.
I have been trying to strike a balance between keeping them busy (or them keeping me busy) and allowing them free-play time. I mean, somewhere amidst all this chaos there should be a little time to get some work done, right? If you have succeeded in finding a way, please share your wisdom, there are many of us mere mortal moms who are struggling. If you have not had a zoom meeting that ended abruptly because you had to fish out cheese curls from your hair then you have not yet lived in quarantine. Oh, the stories we will have to tell…
Anyway, in my quest to keep the girls busy, and myself sane, I have come up with a few ideas that require little effort on my part but gives them a lot of time to enjoy, a.k.a. precious work time for me. Their best one so far? The tea party I hosted for them and their VIP guests – the teddies.
It all started on a cold and rainy morning. Mama thought to herself, “what will we do today”. She remembered that the littlies have been begging her to bake something since this all began, and a plan started hatching. Knowing that she will have to feed them in any way and that there will have to be tea served somewhere in the day, she decided a tea party was the obvious solution.
My best (tongue-in-the-cheek) tips to stay sane during the lockdown – the mom-edition
So she gathered the supplies and ingredients, then gathered the kids, and allowed them to help her bake a cake. Using the cooling cake as a reward, she got them to actually take their nap (this never happens! Thank goodness for cake…). During this time she quickly finished the cake, set the table, threw together an easy savoury eggin, and got to her own work. She had all this time!
When the kids woke up, refreshed and a whole lot less difficult, they sat around the beautifully decorated table and had their lunch. This was followed by some cake, numerous cups of tea, and uplifting conversation. After eating, Mama could sneak away to again have a bit of time for herself, all the while listening to her eldest trying to teach the youngest how to hold a cup without letting her pinkie drop.
Super easy chocolate brownie roulade with peanut butter-cream filling
Priceless, even when staring at the mountain of dishes.
Any ideas that you have tried that worked like a charm? Please share!
