One day at a time...

Children are great. Especially your own. There is no other love like the type of love that you have for your kids. It's an unconditional, selfless, do anything for, everything for, no matter what I will be there for you, type of love. The kind of love that makes you do things that you don't even want to do. Love that pains you to do it, but you do it because you LOVE them. Where am I getting at with all this love talk?? PUNISHMENT!

I have a three year old little boy and he is a handful! He's a typical rambunctious little boy who is curious about life. He loves to test the boundaries and he does it well! I’ve asked for advice numerous times and almost EVERY parent is willing to give their opinion on how to raise a child. If you have a question, they will most likely have an answer. Is it the right answer?? Most of the time, no. That doesn't mean that it's not the answer for THEM, but it usually isn't the EXACT answer for you. Sure, their information is very helpful as a foundation to finding what works for your child, but I've learned to not listen to anyone else except for my good friend, "motherly instinct". Ahh yes, that wonderful instinct that you magically receive as soon as that bundle of joy comes into the world.

Only if it were that simple.

Wouldn't it be nice to for some type of fairy at appear the foot of your hospital bed and say "HELLO!!" (in a high pitched squeaky voice, with an overly exaggerated smile, and beady eyes) "I am the Know-Everything-There-Is-To-Know-About-Parenting FAIRY, here to give you your magical parenting powers!" HA! That would be great!!! In reality, that would never happen, so we are stuck here, clueless….just TRYING to survive (and making sure THE CHILD survive at the same time!)….

So what works for me you ask??

1) The choice method. I give him two simple choices. The right(good) choice, and the wrong(bad) choice. "Do you want to stop throwing a fit or go to time out?" Most of the time, he will pick the right choice. I think this method is really helping him find himself as an individual. He's learning that he has choices in life, and for the bad choices he makes, there are consequences.

2) Level to level eye contact. If he continues to misbehave when I gave him a choice(and chance) to do the right thing. Then I get down to his level and stair him straight in the eyes. I use my stern "grown up authoritative figure" voice and tell him that it is NOT ok for him to have this type of behavior. I then give him ONE last chance to make the right choice.

3) Time out/spanking. If he fails with number one AND two, it's either a swift spanking or time out (or both) depending on the type of severity of his "offense"--for lack of better word. After he has suffered the consequences, I go and talk with him again, at the same level with eye contact. I make HIM tell me what he has done wrong, and then I tell him NOT to do that again.

This is how I parent my child and what works for US. He's grown sooo much (behaviorally and emotionally) since I have established this method of punishment. I'm glad that I'm finally getting this whole parenting thing down!

And don’t any of you experienced folk mention the pre-teen to teenager years. I’m not ready for that. I’m taking this ONE-DAY-AT-A-TIME.

**On a side note, I'm really hoping that Ashley is going to be A LOT easier than Isaiah. I have a feeling that she's going to cut me some slack and be the "easy child" of the group. Let’s just hope!!