Minding My Own Business

Yesterday I took the kids on a day trip to the mountains. That means 1 adult (I guess that's me) and 4 kids in the car...that I am in charge of...by myself...for a long period of time...going both ways. I can do it. I do it all the time, but sometimes it's challenging. I try my best to prepare. I always have the obligatory diaper bag, but then I also bring extra things like a drink and a snack. You know something that will keep them from dying of starvation and dehydration in the back seats. They each are allowed to bring a toy or two to keep them from absolute boredom. I used to do DVDs to keep them occupied, but somehow that's just not what I want for them anymore. I was once one of those momma's that swore up and down that the DVD might be the best invention in the world for long trips. Now don't get me wrong...anything over say 2-3 hours definitely warrants a movie. But for 10 minutes to a couple of hours...they don't need to stare like zombies at the DVD player. Further, I like that without a movie they talk and play with each other. They actually OBSERVE what is on the road and the world around them. Like, dude, there's actual scenery out there! Sawyer loves (I mean LOVES) to ask what road we're on. I tell him "Interstate #" and he says okay and then he'll repeat it for 5 minutes. Then a little later he'll say "What road are we on now?" and I'll tell him we're still on Interstate #. Then if we take an exit or turn he'll start over..."What road are we on now?" I know he doesn't have clue as to where we are or what the road names mean, but I like that he's interested. We also talk about the different license plates, different cars and trucks, etc. The kids love for me to pull up beside a trailer of horses so they can neigh and look at their soft noses and sweet eyes. Of course if we get behind the trailer the boys, being boys, say look at their big butts! Of sourse I tell them it's nicer to say "big hineys". As we go up the mountain they like to notice the real beginnings of going up the mountain (read: incline). They like to say, "Are we going up the mountain yet?" And we talk about how you go up a little and down and little and around a little beside the mountain and through valleys. We talk about why you don't just go straight up the side. How it would have been to be in a wagon pulled by horses around the mountain. Then when we really get high up we love to talk about the views and wonder how far we can see. The only problem that I am really trying to work on is getting out of their conversations. I don't really know how to put it into words, but sometimes when I hear them talking to each other and I don't like how one is treating the other or answering the other I don't really let them work it out that often. For example, say when Saw is asking Bebe a question and she doesn't answer him right away I jump in and say, "Answer your brother, Bebe". Sometimes I hear them playing and I don't like the topic or "thread" of the play and I'll jump in and change it. Or I hear the boys start to argue over who's turn it is with a toy car, I usually jump in pretty quick to resolve the issue. I don't always let them try to work it out first. Or I'll hear one trying to explain something incorrectly (something fairly irrelevant to the greater good of the world) and I will step in and correct it. Now sometimes me chiming in is necessary, other times...not so much. And the funny thing is I USUALLY know the difference. I still just can't stop myself from jumping in during a "teaching moment". It's just sometimes...it's not my turn to teach.