That, I don’t have!
“I didn’t have patience…until I had children”
How often do we hear that?
Buying the twinions a fossil digging kit each, that great virtuous trait was tested yet again.
What was supposed to be a fun indoors activity to break the boredom from the rainy weather, initially brought tears and tantrums.
Then, the boys started getting upset.
Seriously though, despite the boxes marked “For ages 6 +”, it’s missing a vital disclaimer for parents to take deep breaths in preparation for the endless obligatory hammering and flying fine pieces of rock.
I started doing a couple of taps into the stubborn mould when the impatient wails started:
“Waaaahhh!!! I wanna find the paleontologist! Mama! Where’s the paleontologist???!!! It’s NOT THERE!!!”
The assertive mother in me could’ve corrected them to say that they were in fact digging for ‘fossils’. Then ironically, reasoning took over reminding me that no amount of reasoning would help calm them down. Besides, I think I was too impressed by their ability to now pick up 6 syllabic words: Pal-e-on-to-lo-gist.
There was no other choice but to just keep digging.
Keep. Digging. Damnit.
Almost two hours later we finally came across our first (synthetic) bone. Yee friggin’ ha!
As I tried to appease my little boys, risking repetitive strain injury due to the constant hammering, it became very clear to me that palaeontology was a very boring science, if a science at all.
There. I said it. Let the Ross Gellars of this world strike me down with the gigantic foot of a diplodocus.
You watch. While dinosaurs are extinct and have no chance of getting me, I know karma will.
One day, the boys will come home not wanting to be something cool like a rock star or a back up dancer for Selma Gomez (or whoever the cutie diva will be at that time) but instead have aspirations and dreams to dig bones.
Whoever said having patience pays off, have yet to buy a fossil finding kits for dinosaur obsessed twinions.
How has this parenting gig taught you patience? Did you have much of it pre-children? What do your children aspire to be at the moment?
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Vanessa says
Haha maybe I need to have kids to learn how to be patient?
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Lydia C. Lee says
We actually discussed this with that new dinosaur that they discovered last week – every palaeontologist on the planet is green with envy – that was a BIG day for someone and his team….
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zanni says
Oh so cute and funny. Patience is not my forte! X
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Jodi Gibson (JF Gibson Writer) says
Lack of patience is my worst character trait.
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Kathy says
My excuse is that I used up my patience just waiting for my kids – but I don’t think it is much of an excuse!
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Mark says
Patience? Apathy? At times I find them interchangeable and beneficial – especially when I have no interest in what the kids are doing. The great thing is they don’t know the difference
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Toni @ Finding Myself Young says
See I too would’ve thought what a cool idea, but if it took two hours the novelty most definitely wear off. I’d go the easy option and get one of those dinosaur egg things that grow in water (that way I dont have to do anything lol)
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Chantel says
I got some of them for the kids when we were camping – best 10 minutes of silence EVER!!!! Then we got to the dinosaur construction and all hell broke loose……… didn’t think that through 😉
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Tegan says
You are a braver woman than I! I don’t think I could have lasted 2 hours chipping away to find something.
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Lisa@RandomActsOfZen says
Patience is definitely not my strong suit, Grace. You did well lasting that long! But how fun it must have been when they finally saw the first “bone” 🙂
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Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says
Man those things are tough and my son had one from the museum that took 30 minutes to get even a slight hint of a bone and he was covered in red dust! NEVER AGAIN!
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Bec @ The Plumbette says
All I know is that my patience gets a hell of a workout now that I have kids than when I didn’t. 🙂
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EssentiallyJess says
In year 12 we had to write an essay on ‘occupations that don’t interest me and why,’ and I put palaeontology in there. Can you imagine sitting out in the hot sun with one of those tiny brushes, hoping you find something actually real, and not just an old dingo bone or something? Screw that for a joke, I would rather work at woolies.
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Sam Stone @ A Life on Venus says
I am not sure I needed much patience before I had kids 🙂
At the moment my little miss wants to be a mum and a teacher.
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Mandy, Barbie Bieber and Beyond says
That looks like a great activity, My Miss 9 loves Dinosaurs, I might have to source this one, especially with school holidays coming up!
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Pinky Poinker says
What a gorgeous mum you are Grace. My mother used to tell me what an impatient piece of work I was and how I’d be an awful mother. Don’t you agree you’re forced to grow a little patience when you have children? I don’t know if I’d have stuck it out for as long with the paleo stuff as you did though 🙂
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Shannon @ Oh Creative Day says
TWO HOURS of digging?! Man- that’s a huge lesson in persistence! Those safety goggles are just the cutest!
Cleaning dried-up weetbox off the floor every.single.morning has taught me about persistence.
I think my patience levels with kids has definitely improved, my patience levels with other adults- not so much. Especially when I’m in the supermarket stuck behind people blocking the aisle with their trolleys, I just want to scream “GET OUTTA MY WAY! I’VE GOT 5 MINUTES TO GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE THE BABY LOSES IT!”
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Lisa says
My patience arrives after my coffee in the morning, if I hear my name (MUM, MUM, MUUUM) one more time! The dinosaur kits look like good fun xx
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Jody at Six Little Hearts says
Bahahaha!
Try doing this activity with four boys!!
How much of a mess do these kits make?!!
I send mine outside with them 🙂
On patience, I’ve learned to go sit down until they gather their wits and wait for them to come to me all worn out and willing, take two!
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