The boys are much more pleasant and calm inside the house if they have had time to romp and explore outside the house. I think before they came to live with us they were honorary members on the island from Where the Wild Things Are.
The amount of their arguments with each other and their disobedience are closely connected to a few factors:
How much sleep they have had;
Their diet;
And how much time they have had just running around and being boys.
Sometimes it's hard getting them outside to play. It gets SO hot here - like nostril hair burning hot. And sometimes I am just plain lazy and don't want to chase a ball or run after them. (Yes, I said it. I can be lazy.)
But really, the boys NEED time to let their energy be exhausted. I see such a difference in their attitudes when they have had that time outside to just be crazy, playful, wild boys - shooting at cars, hiding in the grass, chasing balls, rolling down the hill.
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Have you ever read "Wild at Heart?" I think you'd enjoy it. Has to do with raising boys as boys and not expecting them to be anything other than that. It's really good.
Yeah. This is a hard one for me too (necessity of time outside isn't limited to boys!) Helen needs to run around outside but I'm not a big fan of being outside...and it's especially difficult right now because Patrick is so young. It really does make a big difference in her attitude and behavior, though.
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