Fire Kid's Edition Review

I was not paid for this review or reimbursed/rewarded in any way. I am just sharing my opinion about a product I have purchased.

I bought a Kindle Fire Kid's edition for, Nadia, my 9 year old daughter.  This was purchased to replace the Nabi that was broken and unable to be replaced due to the fact that the serial number sticker wore off. My absolute favorite thing about this Fire is that there is a 2 year no questions asked replacement policy.  That means I wouldn't have had to explain any insane way my child may break it. Like the time one of them peed on a tablet... don't ask. Chalk that one up to the dangers of potty training.

I love how easy it was to set up controls to make my child read before being allowed to play. Not that she needs to be forced to read, but some days she needs the nudge to get her reading time done before playing. The parental controls can limit screen time hours as well. As a parent you can also set bed and wake times, leaving the tablet unusable after hours. You can set two different limit settings for weekdays and weekends.

I will be signing up for the Amazon Free Time Unlimited access to continue after our one year of free Amazon Free Time service is up. The access to kids books and videos, just kid's content, is worth the small cost to me. (Less than I pay for Netflix)

At only $99 (when I purchased) this tablet was much cheaper than an Ipad. It has much better kid mode function than the Ipad as well.  Now I can have my Ipad back, just as soon as I get the other two Fire Kid's Editions for my youngest children as well.

Hell Week ~ Motherhood version

This past week has been what could only be described as hell week the Motherhood version.  I feel like I unknowingly pledged to join some secret society and forced to pass some horrendous tasks.

With summer vacation coming to an end and the countdown to school starting my kids have, to put it in simple terms, lost their freaking minds.  They shredded my sanity in the process.

Little Mister is in a full-blown teething fit lately.  The teething tablet were lost. ::cry::  I tore the house apart looking for them since they are a $6 bottle of teething miracle.  The bottle was more than half way full, so I refused to buy another.  I stubbornly believed I would find that bottle.  After a 3 hour screaming jag on his part and a crying fit on mine did I buy a new bottle.  It was only after the last of my sanity slipped away I gave in and bought that new bottle. Why didn't I do this sooner?  I got an even bigger bottle, with almost twice the tablets for only 50 cents more.

My toddler tornado seems to believe that turning 4 means you double up the terrible twos.  She has been on a tantrum frenzy lately.  If she isn't having a meltdown she is having a pout fest.  With her older sister's back she spends a good part of her time doing everything in her power to annoy them.  Taking special things from their shelves. (she climbs on precarious self built structures to get to their precious collections)

She recently got extremely angry (picture a cute but very angry troll jumping up and down) because her older sister was holding little mister and wouldn't pass him to her.  She tried tattling that they weren't sharing brother. (like he is a toy) When that didn't work she screamed at her sister to go away she wanted her brother alone again.  The start of school can't come soon enough for the toddler tornado, then she will go back to crying when they go to class. (gotta love the drama that comes with 3 girls)

The tweens, Are experiencing nothing short of being possessed by some psychosis lately.  It leaves them bickering with each other over the smallest things. "That's my pet shop!" (out of the hundreds they own they fight over one.. worst part is it's one of the doubles.)  When they were toddlers they would tell anyone who listened that they were best friends.  Now, they spend more time as mortal enemies.

The tweens also recently got back from a month with their Nana who doesn't have the same type of household expectations as I do. Don't get me wrong I'm no clean freak or obsessive organizer. (I haven't arranged my movies in alphabetically order since having kids.) I do have some expectations though. I now get to spend my time turning them back into productive members of our household.  I get to re-teach them that their dirty clothes will not crawl their way to the laundry hamper themselves.  We limit TV times for a reason.  They should not sneak around and watch after being told to do a more enriching activity. (like practicing multiplication facts.)  Making your littlest sister cry is not an acceptable way to pass the time.

I ended up having a huge meltdown yesterday. Of course my brother shows up just in time to see it. ::embarrassed:: I was hormonal, tired, stressed and in desperate need of a break.    Four kids on summer break and no break in sight for mom makes for a very cranky mommy.  It's not that I don't ask for a break from the kids.  I do!  But for me to actually get one I have to go on strike or wait until everyone else is asleep to get some me time.  For a while now I have taken my me time in the early morning and using it to workout.  Unfortunately recently the kids have woken earlier and earlier leaving me for no personal time in the mornings to workout without an audience or kids badgering me about breakfast in the middle of my workout. Or even worse getting under foot.. (I hurt my leg due to a kid blanket that the kids left on the floor right behind me during a workout.)

I love my kids! Just because I vent about their meltdowns (ok so them causing my meltdowns) don't think I don't love them. Every parent needs a break.  More so for the ones that are the stay at home parent. My job's shift isn't over in 8 hours, I get no vacation time, no sick time, and no pay. (unless you count payment in hugs, but it's easy to forget those when the hug giver is standing in front of you in the midst of the biggest tantrum you have ever seen)

School will be starting again. Very soon I will be back in the middle homework battles, school projects and parent teacher conferences.  Before I know it I'll be looking forward to the first school break when we wont need to wake early or use a daily calendar for what to wear that day.  (No dresses for P.E. or favorite outfits worn on Art days)

Just don't get me started on what all these schedule changes are going to do to our parrots behavior.  It's like a having a bad toddler that doesn't handle change in their schedule AT ALL. Fun times.

Growing Great Sharers

I can't point to any one thing and say Yup, that's what did it! I just know that I can proudly say I am growing great sharers.

My older two daughters being only 15 months apart have never known anything but sharing. They shared everything.. from clothing to toys.  Even the things I didn't want them to.. like lollipops to colds.

Nadia is 6 years younger than her older sister but even she is great at sharing. When she is given a special treat she will ask for a treat for her sisters as well.  Some days she's not as direct.  Instead she will say,"My sisters sure would like this too." And just look up at you smiling.  When I give her a stick of gum, I tell her, "here is one for you" and she will add, "and two more for my sisters too?"

Maybe, it's because while her big sisters are at school when we go shopping I let her pick out special surprises for her sisters.  It could be their Littlest Pet Shop collection that they all play with and collect together.

I don't know what it is exactly that made this possible, but my heart swells with pride each time it happens.

Hmm, maybe I need to add a just bragging about my kids category.