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Wanted: Patience
Sun Jan 18 2004

#1 has been in rare form this morning. His behavior is bordering on what it was 2 years ago when we had to have him hospitalized for a while. I'm hoping that keeping him away from his brothers (and me) will help rein him in.

Meanwhile, #2 & #3 are bickering and exhibiting attitude within their own rights. I'm starting to think that lots and lots of duct tape will be needed today.

Since I'm out of duct tape, I'm keeping them occupied with tasks. Whenever they get bored and start picking on each other, I find a chore for them to do. I think the next one who shows aggression will be given the task of going out and turning the compost pile, and I don't really care how hard it is raining.

I'm hoping that at some point today they settle down enough that I can leave the room and go do some homework. I have a lot to do, and really would like to be able to do it uninterrupted. I'm not sure if that is going to happen or not today. But I'm going to hope!

9 Comments
  • From:
    Sezrah (Legacy)
    On:
    Sun Jan 18 2004
    i loved that cool idea of keeping their books hostage til they cleaned their rooms!
  • From:
    TraumaMama (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jan 19 2004
    Maybe if we would just get some darn sun in these parts the kids would not be so cooped up and could take all their energy outside.
    I feel for ya...
  • From:
    StrangeBrew (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jan 19 2004
    Poor Alli

    I've played referee for girls but never boys.

    I see I'm going to have to do some reading back.

  • From:
    Pragmatist (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jan 19 2004
    I'm thinking you need a whole lot more than patience, but maybe coupled with the duct tape, you might get some studying done.

    Might.

    Shalom
  • From:
    Pinkspiritlady (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jan 19 2004
    A long time ago I desided that the saying "pick your battles" was the way to go with teens. I would like the kids to keep their rooms picked up. However, spending so much time and energy arguing, and fighting, did nothing for our relationship. I desided "Real world consiquinces" is the way to go. If their room is a mess then they can't have a friend come over. If their room is a mess and they can't find something they need then that is their own fault. They will learn that they need to keep it organized. I let them just go into their rooms and I leave them alone. Pretty soon they are cleaning the room all by themselves because they can't handle living in the mess for very long. I save my fights for more important things. They are more willing to work with me on other issues because I am not riding them on everything. SPACE is what teens need. Lots and lots of space from their parents. They are old enough to start thinking for themselves.Otherwize they won't be ready for the real world. Try letting go more and see if he sinks or swims. He may sink a few times, but soon he will learn from his mistakes and learn to swim.
  • From:
    Salamander (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jan 19 2004
    Again a reminder of how right I was not to have kids. I don't have even a small percentage of the patience you have, Alli.
  • From:
    Monstergue (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jan 19 2004
    RYC: Thanks for the tips. I am a total non-pesticide sort of person when it comes to the yard because of the ponds and the "good bugs" such as the praying mantis. I HATE spiders and we have some really big rock spiders here but I have learned to deal with them as they are beneficial.

    The ones that really piss me off though are the slugs as they eat my newly sprouted hosta in the spring. The cure for them is a canning jar lid full of beer. If it doesn't kill 'em, it gets 'em too buzzed to eat anything, lol.

    Another thing we have a REAL problem with here in the really hot months is Japanese Beetles. They will eat everything in sight. Since I don't use pesticides, I tried the pheromone traps. Those seemed to invite every beetle for a 5 mile radius. Now I just go out, pick them off by hand and put them in a jar of (yes) lemon joy. Those have got to be the fornicatingest (is that a word) bug I have ever seen. All they do is eat and make baby beetles!!!

    Ok, I think I am done now!

    Take Care,
    Bobbi
  • From:
    Monstergue (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jan 19 2004
    P.S. I had a staring contest with a praying mantis several months back and do you know the darned thing cocked its head at me several times and them flew into my hair. I am not sure if it wanted to eat me or just have a date.....
  • From:
    MagicWhiskey (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jan 19 2004
    Here's some belated patience karma.