Imagine this.....my husband and I are out in public yesterday at Office Depot....we haven't been in the store 5 minutes when my 6 1/2 year old and 5 1/2 year old start screaming potty words at each other, laughing hysterically as LOUD as they could, poking each other, pulling hair, yelling, grabbing things from shelves. I am ashamed...truly and totally embarassed by this....more alarming was my husband and I's response, which was really borderline in terms of parenting skills...Lately, I just can't take them anywhere...I don't know how to get this behavior under control. We have tried taking away toys, priviledges, yelling, spanking, smacking (not a proud thing, mind you!!!). My 5 1/2 year old daughter was defiantly jutting out her jaw and yelling in my face to "stop yelling at her and that she was the boss" and she said that my face looked like it had "poops all over it"....blah, blah, blah...After a rather vicious 15 minutes in the store, I took the kids to the car...and they screamed and yelled at each other and made fun of me!!!!!! I am not proud of how I responded, nor is my husband proud of his response, but we are overwhelmed by this.....This behavior has been going on about a year...maybe a bit longer...and we are struggling to get it under control...
I feel a lot of guilt because I haven't been consistent with my punishments and have not been as attentive over the past year as I should have been...as I wish that I could have been...we have all struggled so much when Thomas was working so much...but I also feel guilty for having gone to school last year on top of it...
I just feel miserable about yesterday, but I don't know how to change things for everyone. Can anyone offer me any mothering suggestions....has anyone else had similar blow-outs? Robin once mentioned that her children get up early and MAKE THEIR BEDS....and I can't even take my kids to Wal-Mart without dying of embarassment.....
Kris
The Medical Spouse Network Edited by: kmmath at: 7/3/01 6:29:49 am
I feel a lot of guilt because I haven't been consistent with my punishments and have not been as attentive over the past year as I should have been...as I wish that I could have been...we have all struggled so much when Thomas was working so much...but I also feel guilty for having gone to school last year on top of it...
I just feel miserable about yesterday, but I don't know how to change things for everyone. Can anyone offer me any mothering suggestions....has anyone else had similar blow-outs? Robin once mentioned that her children get up early and MAKE THEIR BEDS....and I can't even take my kids to Wal-Mart without dying of embarassment.....
Kris
The Medical Spouse Network Edited by: kmmath at: 7/3/01 6:29:49 am
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