However, I'm realizing that with my discipline tactics, I need to be much more on the consistent side then the other. Sunday evening brought us to my In-Laws home for the weekly family gathering of dinner and conversation. The day had already been sketchy as I was assigned to bring rolls {that I undoubtedly burnt}, as I was getting the children ready for church {and naturally they were being monsters} and so on and so forth. Sitting in the congregation during sacrament wasn't any better, as normal, the kids were in and out numerous times and my patients was running dry.
Anyhoo, we are finally at dinner and Thomas wants to play outside. He continues to push his limits with me in the way he talks to me and the way he acts or rather, reacts to my answers. I simply stated that he must wear a jacket to go outside with the others. Me, having forgot to bring the jackets now needed to rely on the backup source in the back room. He naturally, was disappointed in my choosing and therefore started to throw his fit of fury and frustration by flailing his arms around and in perfect tantrum form throwing the jacket to the ground and running back outside to resume the game he had previously left. I then proceeded to run after him and remind him that he was unable to play outdoors without a jacket. He ran away from me, and thats when I had enough. I drug him back into the house through the family filled living room past the kitchen and out the back door, letting him know he had lost his privileges of being at Granny and Papa's and that we were heading home. He continued to freak out flailing his arms about and somehow make his way free of my grip. Then as he ran out side around to the front of the house nearing the busy street {brown road}, I lost it. Finally, after getting Tyler's help to catch him I took him straight home and threw him into the shower. Cold Shower that is! It was the first of what I'm sure will amount to many throughout his adolescent aged life. I think he got the picture, finally. I had to spray him down twice and then drag him back into the tub after being changed to threaten it once again. He calmed down and so did I.
I remember my dad advising my sister, Kristy to try this method with her children when they were acting out of control. I wish my dad was here now while I need his advise on such matters. I only have bits and pieces of what I remember him telling Kristy, as I was still young and far from these troubles of my own. I felt confident in my decision to take him home and make a "Big" deal out of him disrespecting me, but it's still hard to do. I just want him to be the good little obedient boy I once had. He really was such a good baby and even toddler, then somewhere we lost him. We lost his respect, and that's not cool! I'm not ok with that and so I'm finding that I need to be more consistent in my discipline methods. And even more then that, I need to get Tyler on the same page as me! I think that's a lot of the problem as well, sorry Babe, but it's true.
Se la vie, this is life and I know my troubles are far from over, in fact, I'm pretty sure they are just beginning. I'm becoming a true Mother now. One that needs to have rules and crap, lame. But without it all is lost and if I don't change things now before they get too out of hand, well, I can only imagine.
Wow, this turned out to be quite the serious post. That's not like me, but I needed to get my feelings down. As I was scrolling through my photo's I came across the Instagram's from that evening and knew I needed to jot down the journaling that goes with them. Thanks for listening, er...reading.
The remnants.
Apparently throwing such spouts is exhausting. Not 15 minutes later and he was conked out.
2 comments:
Oh how i LOVE you girl!!! I have been there done that and lived thru it....and am still doing it to this day. It is HARD to be the mom, but worth it...yes, even when you have to put them in a cold shower....which by my book, is PERFECTLY OKAY...NO MATTER WHAT SOMEONE ELSE SAYS! Sorry, had to throw that last one in there! :) YOu are a terrific mother and it's so hard to watch our little angels grow up and get mouthy at no fault of our own...that is just what happens in this world. Keep up the good work! LOVE YOU!!!!
I use vinegar. And now I carry it in a traveling spray bottle in my purse.
It's great because if they won't open their mouth--you can spray it on your finger and rub it on their teeth and all around the inside of their lips. ANd you can do it in public--and you aren't beating your child. And then when vinegar starts to mellow in strength--move on to tobasco. You just put a dot on your finger and apply as directed above. I like the cold shower--my friend also uses cold water in a spray bottle for when the tantrum gets crazy--usually makes them gasp and shakes them out of it. WAy to go cam for sticking to your guns.
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