What a rich learning environment for your children!
You two, are excellent parents, and excellent teachers.
All seven of your children will be successful in life!

Although my husband and I were never blessed with children, I thoroughly enjoyed this podcast and hearing about how you are raising your youngsters. You and Dave are wonderful parents and very smart with your teaching methods. Your children are learning patience and perseverance from a young age which will take them far in life!

I know each and every time I say "This is my favorite podcast yet!" but they are all very informative and so much fun ... looking forward to Podcast #100!

Thank you Whitinger's for the little peek into your family life!

I think it's one of the best things you can do, to bring your children up in a gardening environment. I learnt from my Paternal Grandfather just after the war. I think he did it to take my mind off the devastation around me in the east end of London. It worked, and I involved my children in my garden. They are all now into gardening, and I am pleased to say that a lot of my Grandchildren seem to be heading that way. You two are doing a wonderful job. You will reap the rewards. Keep up the good work.

I really enjoyed this. My grandgirls are in the yard with me all the time. Hoping my grandsons follow along too. I didn't know my paternal granddad but wish I had, records say he was an avid rose gardener and chicken and bird keeper. Definitely runs in the family

Trish, it's too bad you don't have time to write a book called "Gardening with Babies" - It would be a best seller.

We had two December babies so by the following summer, they weren't walking but sitting up well. I had an old galvanized tub my mother used from her wringer washer. If it was hot enough, I would put the tub near where I was working and put some water in it with cups and spoons and they would play in there for what seemed like hours. I'm sure it wasn't that long but it entertained them for a good long while.

I think it would be a pretty short book

Your example is perfect, Vic! Do what you gotta do with what you have right then! I love it

Thanks for sharing! I know I was one that asked recently.

It has definitely been a struggle. I should show a photo of our vegetable garden this summer...we were raising weeds! Somewhere in there we had volunteer sweet potatoes, an eggplant, ginormous/overripe cukes, and peppers that we had planted with good intentions in late spring. I couldn't keep up with it and the hub started an indoor project that left his focus elsewhere.

We did what we could and spent about four hours over two weekends cleaning it up back in September. Now we are refocused for winter gardening. I did bring the playpen out which kept the 1 year old busy for a little awhile, but yes, i did have to refocus and go in with him.

I love my Ergo but have never been able to keep the kid happy in it while bending down. It has worked great for hiking, not so much for gardening.

Thank you so much for doing this podcast! I look forward to the time when everything he sees isn't 'food' so he can play in the dirt while we pull weeds or whatnot.

It is just good to know that I'm not alone!

I hear you- when I really understood that no one was actually 100% put together and we were all struggling in the trenches together- that was a lot of freedom for me!

There's no getting around that it is a tough "season" at that age!
Next year will be totally different than this year was, and hopefully a few tips will work for you.

The short work bursts with lots of refocusing is huge, and I bet water will keep him very entertained next year!

Hang in there, Momma!