Time OUT!

This past weekend I was able to spend some good quality time with my sister in-law, Shanna. One day, in the VERY late hours of the night actually, we had a good ole fashioned heart-to-heart about how freaking exhausting kids are. Now don't get this twisted, this was NOT a whine fest or a pitty party, it was a legit conversation about our kids and some of the things we struggle with daily. We both agreed that one of the hardest things as a mother was consistency in discipline, especially once you have more than one. Clearly I'm still only running around with one child, but let's face it, exhaustion kicks in and you tend to let things fly when really, you probably shouldn't. Taking 2 steps forward and pretty much a million steps back. It's a daily battle for me, especially after saying "no" for the millionth time in the day and giving Kai his one hundredth warning for doing the same thing (with a little different twist to it each time so it's not "technically" the same) over and over. Not to mention that each kid is different in what type of discipline works best for them. This parenting gig is for the birds I tell ya! Sometimes I wish we could literally program our children, yep, just like a computer. Admit it, you've all thought the same thing at least once a day. No? Okay, maybe it's just me that wishes that...or you're all just a bunch of liars. Anyway, as we sat there in the weeeee hours Shanna suggested a few things that had worked with Melanie, her oldest daughter, who happens to be very similar in personality as Kai (both full of energy and very -VERY- strong willed).

Fast forward to Monday. Ohhhhh what.a.day. Challenge after challenge and battle after battle my struggles with Kai became more and more exhausting (physically and emotionally). Suddenly, it was like the Lord himself smacked me upside the head and said REMEMBER FRIDAY NIGHT?!? And then and there I put my foot down. I gave Kai his last warning and sent him to his room for time out and shut the door. Moments later I hear the door open. Oh this just ain't gonna fly little man. To give him credit he wasn't trying to get out of his room, he went back to his seat, but he simply wanted the door cracked. Unfortunately for him time out is not on his terms so when he's screaming his brains out, I choose to keep the door shut. But holy cow, the kid is sooooooo freakin' frackin' stubborn that he refused to stop screaming. I went in about a dozen times trying to explain that until he could sit quietly for 3 minutes he was not to get out of his room. 45 minutes later the kid is STILL screaming. "My hand hurts...my toe hurts...I cold...I hungry...I tired...I poop...I stop crying..." and so on. Now before you start thinking, "you locked your kid in his room screaming for HOW long?" Let me clarify that I went in every 5 or so minutes to explain why he was in there and the circumstances in which he could get out. So there. And when all was said and done he told me why he was sent to time out, why he got a spanking and why he had to stay in his room. And to be REALLY honest, he got out right before Daddy got home, which probably was his life-saver. No one likes to still be in trouble when Daddy gets home...yikes! Sooooo day 1 and it was already sinking in, or at least I lied to myself to make me feel better about letting my child scream bloody murder for that long. So for now I consider that a win for mama bear. BOOM. Now what? Bring parenting on, I'm a pro...

Well day 2 was almost as "great" but fortunately for Kai, it was Daddy's birthday and people were coming over sooooo "operation discipline" was cut a little short...but I think it's still sinking in because let me tell you what has been happening POST time out. Kai will grab "his guys"...which are technically any of his toys that are of human form...and then he puts them in time out and gives them a spanking, followed by a short talking to and a kiss with "I love you". When I ask him why they were put in time out he gives me the same exact reason to why he had been sent to time out. It's really quite cute AND reassuring knowing that he is understanding the reasoning for his punishment. This morning he even got the timer out and told "his guy" to not move until the timer went off...he'll make a good daddy one day :o) Now let's just hope I can get things into check before little Xavier comes to town because we all know that I will be completely EXHAUSTED with a newborn...Kai might get away with murder.......................


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