Reverse Works For Me Wednesday

We have a really large opening adjoining our two living areas so I bought an special 100.00 baby gate. It was broken after two months and now only a remnant remains.






So I concocted a plan....I combined several pieces of furniture and an extra gate to make a NEW gate system.
(Just noticed those gross spots...who knows what it is?)






It still does not work since my children are all MONKIES! They just climb over the furniture that is holding the gates together!








Baby gates may work for some, but I'm not sure they have EVER worked for me. They never keep my kids from where they want to go, they only slow them a little. I've tried pressure mount(not enough pressure in the world can keep three kids out), I've tried screw mount, (failed), added anchors (failed and ripped the drywall), I've tried gates with no door (athleticism required), gates with doors and "child proof" latches (you know what child proof means). I've just pretty much given up unless my husband wants to try prison bars bolted to the floor, but I don't think it would match the decor! Well, that's what hasn't worked for me. See ya next WFMW.

Heather

Go ahead, Call my bluff

It's Works for me Wednesday again!

Parenting is NOT easy, but if you are a parent you already know that. I'm certainly not a parenting expert. I mess up all the time. However, I love my kids with all my heart as I'm sure you do. I try my best and sometimes it works. So, from time to time in my blog I will share failures as well as success stories.

Today I have a success tip for you. It's called Follow Through !! Kids learn right away how to push your buttons and manipulate you. I have found that consistency is one of the only things that works with kids. It takes a lot of work and effort in the beginning, but saves you so much in the end. For example: Tonight I decided it would be really fun to bake and frost sugar cookies with my 5 and 4 year olds. We were having a great time, pouring mixing etc. When I took the first batch out of the oven I put them on a cooling rack. I instructed my children (always making them look at me so I know they are listening which prevents excuses later) that if they touched the cookies at all they would not get to finish frosting them and they would not get to eat any tonight. I informed them...that was their warning and there would be no extra chances. My kids know that if I say it, I mean it. But wouldn't you know, my 5 yo daughter still had to test me. It was a simple act (she touched one of the cookies to see if it was cooled down), but a disobedient one just the same. (we give them rules for a reason...she could have been burned) It made me so sad. I was really looking forward to frosting the cookies with both of them. I wanted so badly to say "I'll give you one more chance", but I knew if I did, she would continue to call my bluff and not feel obligated to obey. So, after making her own up to her bad choice and own responsibility for her consequence, I asked her to leave the table.

It is so hard to be a follow through parent. One day though, when the choices are more important than cookies (drugs, alcohol, sex) my children will be well practiced on the reality of life and it's consequences. It's so important to train them young to make responsible decisions!

I hope maybe this will challenge you to be a follow through parent in your home. Give it a try. If your kids don't listen. You will find that once given enough time to see your consistency, your kids will know you mean what you say and will have to think harder before they make decisions. You will see a definite increase in good choices!

If you do give it a try, let me know how it works out for you.

Great Website for Teaching Kids to Read

I found an awesome website that my kids actually LOVE to use. They think they are "playing", but they are actually learning phonics. Starfall.com has different levels depending on how far along your child is. My 3 year old (almost 4) uses it, but I wouldn't go younger than that. It is very interactive and keeps their attention. I have to make them get off! Just thought I'd share. It Works For Me.

Heather