Desperate measures
It’s the sumjmer holidays. This can sometimes mean squabbling - of epic proportions.
I needed new strategies and I needed them quick.
I grabbed chairs, tablecloths, pegs and rugs.
I made a tent. I put bunting on it (I know - I was desperate).
They still squabbled. There’s no ROOOOM in here for you!
I piped Classic FM at them. All was well until the dog got in the tent. It wasn’t pretty. So much for the Mozart effect.
I pulled out the big guns: a £1.50 bubble kit from the post office with heart-shaped wands.
I sat with a cup of tea and watched them. It was blissful for a while. Then the bubble mixture spilled onto the patio.
Back to the drawing board. Anyone know how to make home-made bubble mixture? Do I need a chemistry lab?
EDIT: I found this link - Sugar! Sugar added to washing up liquid and water is the answer. I think I can manage that.
July 29th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Oh dear! lol
We use to make it out of fairy liquid but I recall it never was that successful!
I remember making tents with rugs and pegs too but we never had such pretty bunting!
Good luck with your entertaining.
Vivienne x
July 29th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Rarely find Mozart helps. Try something very loud and shouty that you all end up singing and dancing round the house to- Madness works well here. Or The Shamen?!!? Then the squabble is usually forgotten and everyone is laughing.
As for bubble mixture, I have never found a good homemade recipe. Playdough yes. Bubble mixture no. Am very excited that someone out there might have one. Ax
July 29th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
I bet Dottycookie knows how to whip up some bubble mixture! K x
July 29th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
My boys make it with washing up liquid and a little water. It’s not so good but it does work. However, being not as good as the bought stuff, it does cause frustration…
Great storytelling BTW. We have all been there, but not many of us could tell it so charmingly!
Home made playdough is quite a good one to keep them occupied too.
July 29th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
I\’ve got a bubble mixture recipe, but it requires glycerin. The chemist was convinced I was a bomb maker. If you convinced him the terrorists were really the smallpebbles, you might get your peace!
The link is here http://domesticali.typepad.com/domesticali/2008/06/small-pleasures-on-a-large-scale.html
Good luck!
July 29th, 2010 at 1:36 pm
Oh haven’t we all been there!!! Lovely tale especially now myy childcare days are over and my child is now off on her adventures on her own!! I used to make playdough and also found large sheets of paper and some poster paints out of daoors was usually a good idea if you can bear the washing them down afterwards! We used to make tents out of blankets over the fireguard and over the climbing frame etc. How it all takes me back.
Jane
July 29th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
ahh i remember the summer holidays when mine were young!!! Hard work but worth it!!
xx
July 29th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Happy memories! They grow up so fast make the most of these times, we did all those things bubbles, tents, playdough, it’s all fun.
July 29th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
I’m not so good with bubble mixture I’m afraid, but it is very similar here at the moment if that helps?
Maybe a jolly good internet search when the little pebbles are in bed tonight to get some ideas….that’s if you’re not like me that is and flop with exhaustion and a bottle of wine when they are finally asleep.
Chin up,
Nina xxxxxx
July 29th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Oooh! I never knew that about adding sugar to the fairy liquid! I must try that! Good luck with the entertainment schemes!!! Lucy x
July 29th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Squabbles…? Do we believe you? Just look at that picture of those two well behaved little girls lying under their rugs…
Seriously, I remember those days all too well. My standby was a big washing up bowl of bubbly water and all the plastic dishes/cups i could find… of course that usually degenerated into cups of water being thrown around…
July 29th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Apparently Mozart has similar effects to Motorhead on blood pressure and brain activity although I think that study may have been a little selective in the pieces looked at.
July 29th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Sugar! Who knew? Sounds like you’re having a great summer break ;-). Hang in there. And just remember water. It calms any storm. Either bring some out for them to play in, or throw it on them LOL!!!
July 29th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
at least it’s sunny……… it rained here this morning and when it stopped we drove for half an hour to go to a new park that has just been built. shows how desperate I was………. then I froze for 3 hours whilst they played, but at least the squabbling stopped. mostly.
July 29th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Stuff the bubbles, I have a bottle of homemade red cabbage indicator in the fridge and that always raises a smile, especially if the girls are allowed to use drinking straws to pipette it. Failing that, if they were being *really* annoying I could just pretend it was ribena - it would make me laugh anyway
Hang in there. Or load them in the car and head over here and we can shut them all in the garden and hide inside the house …
July 29th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Love that last photo with the bubbles. I roared with laughter at dottycookie’s comment. The school holidays are hard work aren’t they? Hang in there!
July 29th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
My sister and I were forever making tents with blankets and pegs! When we were young, of course! My mum would probably tell you of very similar stories!
July 29th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
I’ve only ever had unruly cats and dogs so can’t offer any advice I’m afraid, except I did of course have to amuse my stepdaughter but there was only one of her so not too bad. Painting was a winner and baking.
We used to make sheet dens when I was young and then put milk in saucers and pretend to be cats! Maybe you shouldn’t tell your girls that!
July 29th, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Is it wrong to lock yourself in the loo when the squabbling gets too bad??!
July 29th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
We had a see saw that went up and down and round and round…they played on it for HOURS singing ‘We’re walking in the air’
Then there was lego….and duplo…..baking, painting, oh and..shouting, squabbling, fighting, moaning….(and a bit of TV when its raining and absolutely desperate)
July 30th, 2010 at 9:35 am
I just use normal washing up liquid and it seems to work. Try making some playdough (put a recipe on my blog recently), one colour for each of them so no squabbling. Mine played with it for about 3 days non stop
July 30th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Just a thimbleful…
Rope in Grandmother! I wish mine were close enough to drop by, although they are a little large now.
Nice to see Monk taking an interest in the proceedings.
July 30th, 2010 at 5:05 pm
No. You are getting it wrong. In blogland your children should play delightedly until it gets dark, before falling asleep prettily on something you crocheted yourself.
July 30th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
The little lad next door, who\’s about 2, was blowing bubbles and calling out to me to watch. (He always calls if he hears me in the garden…I think I am he new best friend!).
Well, I went indoors, got MY bubble-blowing bottle and joined in!! I\’m not sure what the mothers thought, as I am probably old enough to be their mother!!
Sorry, how old am I? You just can\’t beat the oldie but goodies, can you? (Talking about the bubble-stuff BTW!).
Hope the Open Days were a success.
Z xx
July 30th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
I remember making dens as a child and also with my own children and yes there was always squabbling!
July 30th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
What does this remind me of? Can’t think for the life of me what. It’s so peaceful here afterall. Might be because they’re asleep in bed Emma. Tommorow’s another day of highs and lows. Keep sane and hide from them in the garden if need be.
X
July 31st, 2010 at 11:11 am
Oh, marvellous den. My ten year old daughter still loves doing this. She and the next door girls made one on our front lawn yesterday.
I probably sound smug, but it is soooo nice when they are old enough to amuse themselves.
I’m visiting via Andamento btw -I love the necklace you made her.
Sue x
July 31st, 2010 at 11:36 am
I used to love making dens as a child - I can also still remember a teepee my brother had - he would never let me be an indian chief though - I had to be a squaw!! Bubbles are good and the sugar is a new one on me - try home made playdough as well - hours of fun.
Either mix two parts plain flour to one part salt with enough water to bind to a dough and add some colouring if you wish or try the slightly trickier cooked method. You need to use two cups of plain flour, one of salt, a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of cream of tartar with about a cup and a half of water - add colouring if you want. Mix all together in a saucepan and heat gently till it makes a spongey dough - it takes a bit of trial and error before you get it perfected but I made it for playgroupds for years and it was always popular.
August 2nd, 2010 at 11:33 am
I never knew that about sugar making all the difference! Does it work? Hope the holidays are going ok for you - we have had squabbling here too - even when they are big smalls, they still fight
I find the addition (or subtraction) of bodies makes all the difference most of the time - hence lots of children to be found here for a lot of the time. 
x
August 3rd, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Squabble is our middle name. No, actually, Shriek is our middle name. Or maybe Pummel.
*sigh*
LOVE that tent - maybe I come and play? I promise not to fight with anyone.
August 6th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
divide and conquer.
I split them up. In different rooms. At opposite sites of the house.
Suddenly they can be without each other and realise that on their own is much more boring…
August 6th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
Glad it’s not just me who has to referee the squabbles! Bubble mixture is magical stuff and will make even the most fractious summer holiday go with a swing.
My two have been best friends and worst enemies by turns today and I was so happy when they finally disappeared outside to play with their friends, so that I could grab a few minutes with my book!
xxx