I’m having one of those weeks where I stay up much too late and then ask myself in the morning, “Why did I do that?” So all day I’m super tired, but once the kids go to bed all of a sudden I have this burst of energy and there is so much I want to do! So the cycle of going to bed late continues… Anybody with me on this?
Usually we are pretty good about going to bed early (and I’m a major proponent of this), but with the kids waking up around 8am lately I have been pushing bedtime for myself. Well, then Hyrum pulled a major switch and started waking up a few times at night and now gets up for good at 6:30am. So needless to say, I was pretty tired the first morning that he did that.
Ava could see how tired I was (probably because I wan’t getting out of bed,) so she got Hyrum out of his crib, grabbed a box of crackers and some bananas from the kitchen, and before closing my door said, “We’ve got to close mom’s door so she can sleep.” (Angel!) For the next hour, she put on a movie and played with Hyrum in the playroom. It was amazing! I was so happy and so grateful! I made sure she knew that.
So, when Ava requested chocolate cake for breakfast, we had chocolate cake for breakfast.
And we gave her two “good attitude rocks.”
Ava has had more than her fair share of sass and complaining lately, so we started this thing where we put “bad attitude marbles” in her glass jar for poor attitude choices and if those are all gone, we put “good attitude rocks” in. Once she reaches ten good attitude rocks, we give her something special. So far, it has worked so well! It’s a great reminder for her to think before she reacts, and it’s also a great reminder to us to recognize her for all her good choices! She received her first “special thing” the other night, and it has only made her more motivated to make good attitude choices, and it seems the good attitude choices are becoming more prevalent (that’s our hope at least!) If you know of someone (kids I mean) who may be struggling with this same thing, maybe this could work for them too! Sometimes we just need ideas.
Such darling pix! You’re so talented at making the normal look fabulous. 🙂
Oh thank you Carolynn!!
Such a good idea. David has been like Ava too. And I decided just to take away the iPad. But this works so well because it acknowledges when he is being good. Focus on the positive not on the negative. Thank your for sharing your good ideas!!
I just saw this, sorry! I totally agree. It makes such a difference to focus on the positive instead of the negative.Thanks for sharing your ideas too! 🙂
Attitude rocks how wonderful! Thanks for the idea, I have loved getting to know you better through these posts, they are a testament of your amazing positive parenting. It’s a true reflection of you! I’m so grateful for your good example in my life!
Thank you Tonya! What kind words! It has been my privilege to get to know you and learn from YOUR example. Hugs!