argh, argh, argh! sometimes parenting gives you a run for your money! when i say parenting, i mean that you actually have to parent. there is a big difference between being a parent and actual parenting. when you are just going through the motions day in and day out you are a parent. those who put in the actual time, effort, and attention your kids need are doing true parenting! this is the best way to raise happy, respectful, well-behaved kids!
of course, this is my opinion, and you all have the right to yours, but being a teacher and a parent, i would have to say the proof is in the pudding! hudson has been giving me a run for my money the past couple weeks. he has this new little attitude. it’s a bit short tempered, where when i ask him anything. even something as simple as are you ready to eat? i get the response…”NO!! I AM NOT READY TO EAT!” i of course respond with “hudson, please be kind and speak nicely. this is unacceptable behaviour and needs to stop.” all sounds good, but i didn’t do my job correctly with this one. i kept this pattern going for the past 2 weeks and hudson became a short tempered fish, flailing all around, totally out of control! i needed to get a grip on my rod and reel this beast back in! which i did!!
there was the final yell from my sweet hudson and i hit my wall and realized, what the hell have i been doing? i basically told him, in a very firm voice, in which he knew i was all business! enough is enough. get to your room. we battled it out. well not really, but you know what i mean. he tried to refuse the time out, lost control of his body, ran full-force into baby beckett’s upholstered ottoman, and rug burned his chin! poor little man felt so defeated! i told him no book before bed with me and beckett and that was about the most heartbreaking thing for him and he knew that his behaviour had to stop.
the past 2 days, since i caught ‘my fish’ hudson has been a dream! he is aware of his behaviour and just the slightest reminder and he is now reeling himself back in! you want them to become self-disciplinarians and by teaching them and disciplining them you can accomplish this! sometimes you have to just reel the fish back in and get control of the situation! kids thrive on discipline (the right kind…firm, fair, and consistent. not yelling!!) and structure. you may think it is mean, but they want it! to them it means you care and you are taking the time to actually “parent” them. to give them the tools, education and skills to become a wonderful human being! i hope this helps some of you with your wild fish, whom are dangling at the end of the line!