The kids are in the way!

Pretty sure this is yet another example of me mistranslating things, then deciding my mistranslation is more fun than what the sign actually says.

I see this sign out on the tuesday morning run and always just thought it said "kids in the way"

so true I would chuckle- so true.

But it also makes me think about our kids and what this whole experience will be for them. A large factor of us choosing to live overseas was the hope that this would be something cool that would be a positive for them. That said there are times when... well, they are just in the way.

Mostly weekends when there isn't anything to do. You can't just send the kids out to the park-in Qatar it was because of sandstorms or heat, In Venezuela its because... well it is Venezuela (no details, my mom might be reading)

So this post is about what you have the kids do when there is nothing to do and they are in the way

homework - just look at the joy on that face

 read to your brother- maybe a book about healthy eating choices

 play with army guys/ nerf guns/ neighbors/... or all 3.

Justin's helmet was fantastic, and the "plunk" sound the nerf darts made were perfect.

duct tape them to the ceiling... don't think I haven't thought that thought. Unless you work for child services then I have never thought of duct tape as a parenting tool.

 Play a board game... Lisa's favorite perhaps

take em out for ice cream.

 Give Luca a musical instrument (not a peaceful idea)

I always like to give vague directions like "Luca, go wash your feet"

Leave your phone out only to find it with a few new selfies.

and although we try, try, try not to watch that much- watching TV on the laptop is always an option. Moving from a home that never had TV, this has been one of the hardest things to swallow about being overseas. We now use TV as a timekiller, a babysitter, pacifier, etc. Its hard not to and we do our best to find other activities but man, we have watched more TV in the last 4 years! 

 

can you guess where the TV is in this picture?

Now, I write this tongue in cheek- we (hardly) ever think of our kids as "in the way." They are amazing little people and now as we start to wrap up this 4 year overseas jaunt I can honestly say my main memories will be sharing so many cool things with them and Lisa.
-to which they will undoubtedly reply: "thats nice dad, now can we have some screen time?"

We love you- you little weirdos