Works For Me: Just Add Water

When Adam was three, he was prone to very loud, very long, very intense temper tantrums.  It was a constant battle.  One summer day, when he was throwing a royal fit in the living room, I'd simply had enough.  I picked the boy up, hauled him into the backyard, turned on the hose, and...yep...I sprayed him down.

Needless to say, the tantrum stopped.  And remarkably, that was a turning point in his ability to keep his temper under control.

I tell you this story a) in case you thought I was always a kind and patient mother, b) because I'm thinking that the statute of limitations is up and you can't report me, and c) because it illustrates a helpful mothering tool I've learned over the years:  water fixes everything.

Okay, maybe not everything, but it fixes a lot.  Especially when your children are very young.  Tempers around our house seem to flare a little more easily when the weather is warm, and here are some water-related tension breakers that really work for me:

• playing in the hose and/or sprinkler
• gargling contests
• spitting contests (we're terribly refined around here, as you can tell)
• mudpies
• "painting" the fence with water
• washing the car
• sending the older kids upstairs for a cool shower
• bubble baths (this is how I read my Newsweek each week--with Corrie happily playing in the bubbles while I sit in the floor next to her.  It goes without saying, of course, that you should never leave a young child unattended in the bathtub.)
• "play cooking" with the hose and all my cookware in the backyard

Works for me! 

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And by the way, don't forget to check out the fun at Bloggy Giveaways this week!

1. Mandy Houk (marital bliss!) 2. WorksForMom (Teething Remedy / Snack Feeder) 3. Jill@thediaperdiaries 4. Laura in KY (shopping with children) 5. ellen b ~ simple rewards 6. Nikki (reusable nursing pads) 7. Jordan @ MamaBlogga (brand your blog) 8. PTT (schoolyear\'s resolutions) 9. My Twenty Cents Keeps Moving (bedtime) 10. The Natural Mommy (Never clean the sink again!) 11. Capturing Today (Cast Iron Care) 12. diatribal (frugal handsoap) 13. Mommy-fied (Cleaning Pee Mess) 14. Duckabush Blog (BlogTopSites) 15. Abel ( A simple secret to getting a kiss from your child) 16. Karen (Quick Technorati Tags) 17. A Juggling Mum (Drying Laundry) 18. Stacy@Random Thoughts (Saving Dinner) 19. Christa @ No End in Site (closet organization for kids) 20. Liza\'s Eyeview (Fight Fair in Marriage) 21. Beth F. (Smoother Legs) 22. OW (lowering cholesterol tips) 23. The Building Brows (Quick, natural weight loss w/simple diet & easy exercise) 24. Homemaking Through the Church Year (DIY rag rugs) 25. At A Hen\'s Pace (getting kids to straighten house) 26. Mommy Babble (Better than PB&J) 27. Lori - Queen of Dirty Laundry (Frugal Shopping) 28. Michelle at Scribbit (kid craft) 29. Life with Littles (What\'s Working) 30. Corrie (easy, fun family activities) 31. Pmom @ Chocolate and Garlic (stickers and kids) 32. MrsB *corrected direct link* 33. Owlhaven (quick tomato canning) 34. Ewokgirl (Drying Rack Multiple Uses) 35. Sasha (kids and paper clutter) 36. CherieB (binky trade) 37. Lizzie\'s Home (The Good & Bad Game) 38. Organising Queen (getting things done) 39. 3foldcord (Time Saver!) 40. Robin (baking salmon) 41. carrie (teething relief) 42. Michelle (garment bag instead of suitcase) 43. Ang (cheap kids undies) 44. ABC (Fresh Baked Goods made easy!) 45. Susan(BabysDrySkin) 46. Gift of Green (Cancel Paper - Lose Weight) 47. Jenuine Jen (holiday grand plan) 48. mummifiedx5 (baby\'s bottles) 49. SingForHim @ RealLife (Nightly Routine) 50. Shalee - GLAD Steaming Bags 51. Stop the Ride (entertainment savings) 52. Stretch Mark Mama (Sneaky Spinach) 53. Jamie (Floppy Sleep Game) 54. Sarah @ To Motherhood And Beyond ( Freezing Bread Dough) 55. Charity (kitchen shears)

56. Jes (paid to blog) 57. Aimee(appropriate kids music) 58. T with Honey (sock containment) 59. Simple Homemaker 60. Simple Homemaker (fruit flies/gnats) 61. Cara (shopping/menu) 62. Jenny from Mommin\' It Up (my daughter\'s hair bows) 63. Sarah (KId Car Kits) 64. Stephanie (Simplified Menu Planning) 65. Cindy (Four Ingredient Recipes) 66. Elena (George Foreman Grill) 67. Christine (Library Trip Tips) 68. Texastanya (better sleep) 69. Everyday Mommy (FeedReader Tip) 70. Amblin (Moving tips) 71. jen (picky eaters) 72. Nap Warden (love to make,love to eat!) 73. Beth@sportsmomma (smelly washer cure) 74. TracyMichele(lipgloss) 75. Savvy Mom (menu tip) 76. DHM (tips on packing hubby\'s lunch) 77. Shauna (bookmarks and book plates) 78. Miss Huckleberry- Budget Organization 79. Amy (chill out!) 80. Barb (kids brushing teeth) 81. Mari (organizing internet recipes) 82. Lisa Kay (dividing toys among children) 83. Trixie @ FarmHomeLife (PB) 84. Princess Leia (Teething help) 85. Many Little Blessings (Maintain/Making New Friends for Adults) 86. Mommy of Three (Coupon Control) 87. Autumn Daisy Studio (Tricking Your Kids Into Affection) 88. Alicia (stocking the minivan) 89. Brandi (recipe saver) 90. Mama-rama (herbal insect repellent 91. Paige (cleaning up glass shards) 92. Laane (macaroni necklace and box) 93. Milehimama (Binder Clips) 94. Rean Day (Shower Clutter) 95. Amy (family-sized calendar) 96. April (quick breakfast) 97. Kara (cleaning tips) 98. Simple_Chic (Cake decorating) 99. SAHMmy Says (This Is Halloween!) 100. The BRC (Oatmeal Baths) 101. Alli-keeping baby clothes organized 102. OW (tipe for dining out healthy) 103. Demeter (preventing pee puddles) 104. Lana G! (ERASER REVIVAL) 105. 100 Acre Wood (enjoy it while you can) 106. Joy (Schedule a Date with Your Child) 107. Karen (beach baby tips) 108. Wendy (Painless Grocery Shopping) 109. Alexandra(inexpensive phone card refills(cell and landline) 110. Sandi (cleaning microwave)

111. Tracy (teach swallowing pills) 112. Cyndi (homeschool storage) 113. MommaofMany (Crayons in the Dryer) 114. Tonsofsons ~ Blessing Basket 115. GP in Montana 116. Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts (beware of over-sympathizing) 117. Lorie(saving money on groceries) 118. MemeGRL (summer skating) 119. whimsy (Hipster PDA) 120. Amy Jane (learning early rising) 121. Naturemama (Picky Eaters) 122. Rachel (Doubling Meals) 123. Simply Live (Building a Water Storage) 124. Kara (Toy Storage) 125. Mama26Blessings(Penny) 126. Holly (repelling yellow jackets) 127. Kelli (Make your own frappuccino) 128. halfmoon girl 129. KimC (no restaurant spills) 130. Juggling Frogs (Stairwell Pantry) 131. Karen (toy patrol) 132. Kathy (easy entertaining) 133. Kathy (great duster) 134. Dawn (Daily Essentials Basket) 135. Janelle (Van Organization) 136. Nikki @ Recovering the Design (Fridge Organization) 137. Jendi (toddler bed sheet) 138. Toni (Too Many Keys) 139. KimC (no restaurant spills) 140. Sherri@NoiseOverload(Birthday Decorations) 141. Suzanne (sleeping in spite of dogs) 142. Callista (no-fuss bathtime) 143. Merci (dryer lint) 144. Rhen (cloth diapers) 145. Kim - Cradle Cap 146. madridmom (say YES) 147. mamabright (computer background) 148. Lindsey 149. Crystal @ Biblical Womanhood (Home Management) 150. Frugal Homemaker Plus (never lose your keys again) 151. Adena (saving wet electronics) 152. So Many Joys (Cheap Montessori Shelving) 153. Proverbs31 (Kid\'s Vacuum) 154. Elizabeth (leftover meat) 155. Briggie (natural sleep aide) 156. Jill (rice for kids) 157. Amy (school visits) 158. Lizzie (juice savings) 159. Olive- first time! 160. Ann Kroeker (crocs for camping) 161. Melinda (glowing stickers) 162. Six in the Mix (taming toy clutter) 163. Stephanie (kids chores)

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Comments

[Mandy Houk]

Hm ... maybe that's why I linger so long in the shower some mornings!

Thank you for the great tip. Now I just have to untangle that hose ...

[ellen b]

You have just gained even more respect from me :)
I won't be calling the authorities.

[Jill]

Great advice. As I am dealing with a screaming teething baby while blogging (parenting at its best!), I forgot my topic. It is shower gifts. Sorry!

[Kelly @ PTT]

I love that!

I write about declaring "schoolyear's resolutions." I'm hosting a carnival next week and I hope you'll join me!

[Jordan (MamaBlogga)]

When I was at home a couple weeks ago, my mother set my son up at the sink with some Tupperware containers filled with water and bubbles. And a wooden spoon. He was in heaven!

[Capturing Today]

My girls will do anything to get in water! It really does do wonders when the weather is so hot!

[Mommy-fied]

You too? My son had the worst temper tantrums at 3 too. Now he's 4 and out of it thankfully so no need for the hose! But thanks for all the other water tips. It's great cause I live in Singapore where it's hot all year round!

[diatribal]

Water is great. It is such a good and unexpected treat to play with. Kids seem to think that playing in water is something very special.

(We are just now hitting the tantrum stage...I may be trying that very soon.)

[Karen @ Simply A Musing Blog]

Well, I wouldn't report you...I'd join you. Water is great for cooling tempers - one time I sprayed my husband with the faucet sprayer in the middle of a discussion that got a little too heated and we ended up giggling and in a water fight instead of a word fight. Much easier to clean up a water fight any day.

[Stacy]

I might have to try this with my daughter. What a good idea!

[Jessica Snell]

We do the water-play-in-the-sink thing a lot around here. I even let them play in my nice clean dishtubs. so that if they drink some of the water they're playing with, I don't have to worry about it. Lots of towels on the floor and fun for everyone!

peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

[Kathy in WA]

Shannon - I just wanted to thank you for hosting this fun carnival every week. I love reading all the tips (or as many as I can fit in during my day, you know ignoring the children and all) and getting to know some new people.

Duckabush Blog

[Mommy Babble]

Ohhh, great tip! My oldest is the king of tantrums. I'll have to try this next time. Thanks!

[jen]

showers work in much the same way
my bil does that :)

[Michelle at Scribbit]

And I thought it was Windex that fixed everything :)

[Corrie]

The magic of water has my kids still begging to be the one to wash the dishes. Great ideas. I think my son would like the spitting contest.

[Jennifer]

You sound like one of those "fun mamas." I need to work on that... I may have to try this out! Reminds me of that paper towel commercial! The sink sprayer might be interesting... nah, too much work to clean up. You see my problem. :)

[Sasha]

Oh! I think this is a FABULOUS idea. I'm in the process of adopting and I don't believe in spanking but the youngest (5 year old) has been throwing awful tantrums and physically hurting me. I should ask the social worker if this is okay. I mean I think it's brilliant!

[Naomi]

Some fab suggestions here Shannon!! No.4 is on the way (in November, hubby is back off to school (teacher) and I'm simply running out of ideas!
Off to hose them all down!

[carrie]

Thanks for hosting this each week!

[ABC]

Love all these new ideas every week! I can't wait to try out all your water games with Love Bug when we get to the "tantrum stage". I hope we have another year or two before they are needed!

[Gift of Green]

Thanks again for hosting! So many great ideas!!

[Jenuine Jen]

Great idea for the tanturm. My children's long bath works wonders for keeping my bathroom clean and catching up on my reading.

[mummifiedx5]

Great ideas! My babes are all water babies and when they were younger, we found water pistols worked....or plastic spray bottles :)

[SingForHim @ Real Life]

Polly Pocket dolls and a bowl of water (The pool) is like Christmas around here. Thanks for the tip.

This is my first time participating in WFMW. It's fun!