Just when I think I have this parenting thing down decently enough, I have another child that throws all my previously learned tricks out the window. You would think with seven kids that I could at least use some tricks again. I mean the personalities are bound to repeat. I have three with brown eyes so why not a few with the same personalities? I guess life just isn't meant to be fair.
I had to be creative the other night with some discipline. It seems hopper #3 likes to mean to hopper #5. Perhaps she forgot what it felt like to be bullied. It was going to take more than just remembering the Golden Rule to curb the behaivor. Then I felt down-right brilliant with the idea of the needed plan of action.
We like to stress positive. I like to tell my kids to look for the positive in others and not be so degrading. Kind of like what mother always says, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." So to deal with the verbal bullying, I told hopper #3 she had to do three nice things whether in action or words for hopper #5 each day for a week. The kicker would be having to do more if caught being a bully again.
She is up to five, but she is learning. Right after she got busted again, I heard her about to say something. She never said it and just trailed off. I wasn't in the room so enjoyed a good chuckle. Perhaps they do listen after all.
Nah ...
2 comments:
Clever. I actually like parenting like that. Where it is not simply "punishing" but teaching and correcting. I truly believe helping kids think and consider their actions/consequences is very important.
What are some of the nice things she did?
She would compliment Cara (the bullied 6 yo) more and helped her out with chores. Kalynne (11 yo bully) also read Cara's favorite stories at night to her.
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