13 July 2009

Perfect Little Family

As I type this, it's 8:00am and I am eating breakfast. Both my children are in their bedrooms. She is screaming blue murder. He is screaming, punctuated by shouts that I am not his mother anymore and the smack (swat) I gave him didn't even hurt.

Their list of complaints is long and I would hardly remember them all. I do recall a few of their gripes though.

Smoochy Girl caught sight of the kindy fundraising chocolates and wanted them for breakfast. I however wouldn't let her eat chocolate for breakfast.

Sonny Ma-Jiminy brought out a box of Tiny Teddy biscuits and wanted them for breakfast. I however wouldn't let him eat Tiny Teddies for breakfast. He suggested having them on top of his porridge, and I said No to that too.

Hence the simultaneous tantrums.

See, these days I'm not able to do as much complete discipline and am becoming a toothless tiger. Yeah, yeah, I can still warn them and talk firmly to them and threaten to take away privileges and blah-blah-blah, but these little cherubs are 4 and 2 years old. Sometimes for major transgressions, you need to grab them, physically remove them, put them on their beds, sometimes they need a smack, and they usually need a very stern talking to.

I'm not up to that and my doctors wouldn't let me do that anyway.

And the kids seem to know it.

I know that I will have to get back on track with all this after the baby comes, but it's a little daunting contemplating putting the discipline system back together alongside recovering from surgery and managing a newborn (I remember that! It's not easy!)

I wonder how it will work?

12 comments:

Jen said...

Its not easy but you will do it. I remember thinking that same things right after the babies were born. Its hell but you can come out from under it.

Swift Jan said...

I understand where you are coming from. My ENORMOUS belly is restriscting me big time & my kids know it. They run away & know I cant catch them anymore.
Much yelling & some extra smacking has been my method for the past little while also. Bad!!
It's not forever..... is it?
xx

Hippomanic Jen said...

Oh, you mean kids have disciplinary problems that an anti-barking collar and being chained up can't fix?

Poor you!

Allegro ma non troppo said...

Oh yeah. You'd think that after an entire lifetime of not being allowed to eat chocolate for breakfast, they'd cross it of their list of requests.

But no.

musingwoman said...

Your situation reminds me of when our fourth was born by c-section. My advice: sleep whenever you can now!

Heather said...

I find poking with pointy sticks an effective disciplinary tool. At least, that is what Hubby and I told the social worker who did our adoption home study we planned to do for discipline, and failing that, locking in a closet...

In all seriousness, though, you'll likely be so sleep deprived that you, at the very least, will have little to no clear memory of those recovering-from-the-c-section, putting-the-discipline-system-back-together period.

Oh, and did I mention that I am, technically, still grounded for my combined transgressions as a child? I believe I will be able to have a friend over, listen to my stereo, use the telephone and watch TV again in just another 2 years (I once calculated that I was officially grounded until I was 39)... Boy, I can't wait! ;)

Tracy P. said...

All in good time! (And perhaps a pair of earplugs???)

Femina said...

I find quick squirt with a spray bottle filled with water and vinegar works well... or being locked in the bathroom for 10 minutes.

Oh right, kiddies, not kitties. My mistake.

JennyMac said...

Earplugs for sure! Ours in only 2...I have so much ahead. :)

Joy said...

They are so smart and know they got you at a disadvantage for a while. So just join them and throw a few tantrums of your own. It throws them off for a little while.
The C-section won't get you down for too long. You'll be up and around after a few days. The hardest part is getting out of bed. That process of lifting your feet slightly and bring your body up from the mattress will remind you that there were areas connected down there that are no longer connected. That was the worst part for me. Steri-strips will be your friend. Just pick some up in advance.

Joy

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

It all works out! Hey, thanks for being so encouraging lately! I've appreciated your little notes.

I want you to do a post of the dinosaur place they allegedly found there. Believe it or not, I work for a US Congressman and got a request today for help in getting some soil over here from that spot in Australia. Can you believe that? People are getting tossed out of their homes because times are so tough, and someone wants Australian soil. :-)

Anyway, enlighten us when you can.

tinsenpup said...

They really can smell weakness, can't they?