Learning to take turns.

OH. MY. LORD.


I never thought that learning something as simple as learning to wait for your turn would be so terrible. There are lots of skills the brats are really good at - sharing, helping, etc. They share toys and give toys to other children really well (side effect of always having to share, I guess!). They help each other do everything - color, build block towers, find things. But today, at gymnastics, we had to really start waiting for our own turn.


The brats have been in gymnastics for 6 months or so now. They love it, all you have to say is gymnastics and they run around finding their shoes and coats yelling "nastics, nastics, nastics". It's amazing. And until this week, the class consisted of the boys and 2 little girls (one is there every week, one comes every other week). They love the girls there, they say their names and wave and try to kiss them (the girls do not appreciate the love, but the brats insist on giving it). 


And then today, all of the sudden, 4 more girls in the class. So other than realizing that girls are seriously outnumbering the girls here, we also have to wait a little longer to do anything. Sure, when we are going around an obstacle course there is no problem, just keep going (or keep doing the 1 thing they really like over and over, at least). But when its time to jump on a the trampoline, or swing on the bar, obviously they won't all fit (safely) at once. So you have to wait. And the waiting is not something we are enjoying.


You know that moment, when your kid is screaming his head off when you are surrounding by a room full of quiet, well behave children? That is what my morning was like. Granted, the boys are at least 6 months younger than any other child in that class. But it was not pretty. I tried talking, holding, playing tickling, anything to keep them from screaming "JUMP! JUMP! JUMP!" and flailing around as I kept them from line jumping. It reminded me a little of the first time we went to our library's weekly play group, where we play for an hour then clean up and have a story read. The play part was great, the actual story reading was great - but that 10 minutes of clean up was a disaster. As parents cleaned up (because what child really does clean up after themselves at 2?), most of the boys and girls watched or helped a little. Mine clung to the ankles of the cleaners and cried for the toys to be given back. They even stole the toys from the shelves to continue playing and tried to hide in corners with them. 


But thats another story, for another day.


After a while today I just sent them off to climb on mats, letting them be completely distracted for a while. While its not ideal, I think thats what we will be doing for part of the time. Wait in lines for as long as we can, then go do something to stay distracted. At least for now we are in a morning class while there is no one else in the gym :)