How to Manage Kids of Big Age Gap?

Have you ever been in a situation where older kid has to study and you can’t keep control over the younger one? That was happening to me all the time. Age difference between my daughters is seven years.

It was hard in the beginning. When older one sits to study at the same time the younger one dropped in and starts taking pens, notebooks, writing on the books. After that starts the scramble, tears, shouting and everyone was loosing it.

Younger children are copying older brothers and sisters. There weren’t any other solution but to give the younger one her own homework.

She got her own pencils, notebooks, coloring pens and we allocated studying time for her. Then, there was order in out house. Older daughter finally could study undisturbed and younger one was proud that she became “big”.

Unfortunately that doesn’t work every time. I have to resort to other tricks. One of them is “little helper” in the kitchen. It doesn’t involve any real involvement in food preparation.

Kid will be satisfied if she is allowed to “cook” her rubber toys in small pot. If you add to the mix some foam and a sponge, she’ll be delighted.

Other suggestion is to mix small amount of paste with flour and water. Show the kid how to make various shapes of it. Success is guaranteed.

Those were only some of possibilities you can employ. I believe you can easily get your own ideas how to make things work. Just be creative.

I still haven’t figured out how to deal with the cat, though…