YOUR TURN: Younger siblings

I’m ashamed to admit this, but sometimes… I forget that baby #2 is a little person all unto himself. I concentrate so much on baby #1 that #2 gets the short shrift way too often.  In fact, this is what I feel like I see from him more often than not:

But Donovan is Mr. Personality… even though he isn’t talking yet, his personality is fully developed – he’s a class clown that loves to make people laugh.

He’s a cuddler and a lover already, and his enthusiasm for the world teaches me something new every day.  He has an insatiable thirst for reading books…

…and he isn’t embarrassed when I sing.  In fact, he’ll try to join in and then start dancing like a crazy man!

His heart is also ready to be impressed with the word of God – I just need to slow down and start to see him as the little man God has made him.

When I was reading online about things to do with Elias to get him crafting and teaching him God’s word, I ran in to advice about what to do with younger siblings.  Of course, I didn’t pay close attention at the time… and I’ve forgotten a lot of what I read.  But I’m trying to incorporate Donovan into much of what I do with Elias.  Donovan is 23 months younger than Elias, so there is a gap in development – I know he can’t use scissors yet, and he’s more interested in pouring out and picking up crayons than he is coloring, but he can sit with us at the table and pick up his crayons, paint with water, and even tear up pieces of paper for Elias to glue. And while Elias is going through another “No singing, Mom!” phase, Donovan climbs up into my lap and asks for more songs – so I’m using simple songs to pour God’s word into his little heart.

My next step is creating a special box just for Donovan – a little easy craft box that I can pull out and let him at it while Elias and I work on more difficult things. I’ll also use something like this when I start homeschooling Elias.  I need to reorganize my kids’ craft space first to figure out what we have, so I’ll give you an update when I get Donovan’s box done.

Because before I know it, this little man will be a man all unto his own… and he needs my attention and the word of God in his life, too.

Now it’s YOUR TURN: if you have children of different ages, what do you do to impress the word of God on each of their hearts?  Any special tips for keeping younger siblings busy when you’re working with your older kids? I’m looking forward to your ideas… I feel like I need all the help I can get!