SuperNanny

So, I haven't blogged much lately cause I've been exhausted! Naps are apparently a thing of the past around here and night times have been very difficult.

We've dealt with or desperately tried to deal with major tantrums almost daily. Mr. Sad Spoon seems to be mostly useless except to make both M and J and me angry. So, we are using restrictions...that gets old cause even though it sort of helps, it seems like we are too negative all the time.

J and I did something that made me feel like a real parent for the first time in a while (you know besides natural childbirth ha!). We got together on the same page and figured out just how we were going to deal with our parenting problem.

Thank goodness for family as well, cause after sounding things off my mom I was able to combine all of our decisions and some things that we gleaned from SuperNanny and we scheduled our first family meeting!

It was hilarious actually cause M was sooo excited about it! She and I sat down with a posterboard and a sharpie and decided what our family rules should be and what our consequences and rewards should be. She enjoyed having a say and being a part of the process. We showed the naughty spot and we introduced the coin jar. When she does certain chores or behaves well, she gets to put in a coin. If she disobeys or disrespects, she has to take a coin out. This seemed to hit home. She immediately did a task to get a coin. Then we worked to clean her room, one of a daily chore, and so she got another coin. Then (and this is big) she went #2 on the potty all by herself with no assistance. For that she got to put in a coin. She packed her bag for school tomorrow and thus will get a coin tomorrow morning AND her dad said that if she went to bed without problems, she could put in 2 coins.

Not a peep! Unbelievable cause sleeping has been particularly difficult! Now on Fridays when daddy gets home we get to see if we have enough coins for something special. She suggested icecream this week! Great idea! So we shall see.

We had to do the supernanny thing putting her back in bed over and over with little or no talking/eye contact involved. It was dramatic for sure and can't believe that w slept through it...but it didn't last too long. probably 10-15 times I had to put her back in bed. But it worked. Once she got quiet, she was quiet until I came to get her up. I don't think she slept, at least not for long...but she was quiet and remaind in her room. That was the point. I was thrilled.

Mom says welcome to child training as opposed to simply raising a child. Fun times, but the small victories are just as exciting to J and I as I think they are to M! Victory #1!