Play Group Gone Haywire

No one told me that three-year-olds don't quite get the valentine thing. I thought it would be a great idea to do a little valentine party since it was my turn to host Austin's play group.

First we made envelopes for our valentines. They had a ball with this, only I needed to clone myself so I could help them all at once. They turned out beautiful. After I dismissed them to go play, I called them back to the kitchen one at a time to deliver their valentines.

The first child got her valentines and began passing them out to the other children's envelopes. When it was discovered that she didn't have one for her own envelope, she threw a big fit. After some time, I finally managed to explain to her that the other kids would pass out valentines to her. I then sent her to fetch the next child.

This was a bad idea. The next child (AJ) apparently wouldn't listen to her request because I heard screaming from the other room. As I came running in I got the explanation that AJ would not come so, the first child had proceeded to whack him over the head. After getting AJ calmed down I brought him in to pass out his valentines. Once again another tantrum was thrown when he realized he didn't have a special note for his own envelope. Thank goodness I had patience that day because I calmly explained the situation and it finally sunk in.

I was a fool though because I didn't learn my lesson the first time. Again I sent AJ to retrieve the third child so she could pass out her valentines. Sure enough I heard screaming and dashed in the room just in time to see AJ whacking his friend over the head. She, like before, was not obeying his instructions to go see his mom in the Kitchen.

After wiping tears away we did the last valentine passing. Thank goodness child number three was perfectly happy giving valentines to the other children and not herself. She could see that there were already valentines from the other kids in her envelope. However, that didn't stop her from whacking Austin over the head when he tried to pass out her valentines himself. At least the whacking made it's rounds through all three kids.

Our next activity was decorating cookies. That went well until I explained that they were only eating one and taking the rest home for later. All three had to protest for a minute about that one.

I was actually laughing the whole time at the humor of it all. Valentines day is about "love" right? The love in the air was slightly lacking! I definitely needed a nap after play group that day!