My Priorities At The Moment:
1. Have my children show kindness to one another, instead of being so stinking mean and rude to each other all the time.
My Children's Priorities At The Moment:
1. Arrive at football practice on time so as not to have to run additional, punitive laps.
2. Get to the store to purchase supplies for a school project.
3. Show up at Scouts on Thursday for a super fun biking activity.
4. Eat a snack after school.
5. Finish homework (oral reading to Mom) so they can go out for recess the next day.
My priority is simply not being met. In spite of numerous discussions, family lessons, polite requests, one or two lectures, and ample opportunity, it seems that MY priority is just not a priority for MY CHILDREN.
Therefore...
their priorities have dropped way down to the bottom of my priority list. For example:
Arriving at football on time isn't important to me right now. Bummer about the punitive laps. Purchasing supplies for the school project doesn't seem like a valuable way to spend my own money. I'm not biking on Thursday, why would it be important for me to load someone else's bike into my van and then use my precious time to drive to the activity? After school snacks cost money and require my effort to prepare. That has moved WAAAAY down on my list of important things to do. Listening to children read books out loud so I can sign off their homework assignments? Nah.
Here's to hoping there's a major shift in priorities in the immediate future, so everyone can live in peace and harmony.
23 comments:
Heartless . . . or is that tough love? Now you're my kind of gal. I bet you'll notice a change in 'tude once one too many laps are run for being late . . . or tummies are grumbling because of no afternoon snacks.
WOW. I completely admire this. I mean, it's easy to read about in Love and Logic and easy to say, but doing it? Sounds impossible. I think it's gonna work though. Please let me know how it goes.
Awesome! I need to get that Love and Logic book.
(PS I grew up in Utah remember? So cheering for BYU is just part of your genetic make up when raised here...ha ha! However, I never attended BYU and neither did Ryan. In fact, one of our favorite past times is making fun of zoobies aka BYU students.)
And I thought I was mean...
When my kids were younger and asked me why I was so mean I said it was so they would move out when they were 18. It's worked so far.
You go girl and keep us posted.
i better get a follow up on this one. we have had the same problem at our house lately.
Sounds like some kids are going to be re-adjusting their priorities to match up with Mom's pretty quick! Great idea!
Tristan, Cheering for BYU is NOT part of my genetic make-up. You need out of Utah county ...
I am curious to see how this works. Please keep me posted!
Why do schools assign homework for the parents? Listening to an oral reading assignment is giving YOU homework, not the kid.
If my kid had an assignment like that, it would go like this every night:
KID: Dad, I have to do my oral reading assignment.
ME: Ok, let's get this over with.
KID: Ok.. ahem... Chapter 3. Bobby walked down the---
ME: Great job, where do I sign?
After a week of oral reading assignments, I'd get the teacher's home number and call HER, and give HER my own oral reading assignment. "Hi, Mrs. Johnson? It's Mr. HappyBack. I'm going to read you Chapter 16 of 'A Heartrending Work Of Staggering Genius." I apologize in advance for all the F-bombs but this thing was nominated for a Pulitzer, so get ready for me to culture your ass. Ok, here we g-- hello? Mrs. Johnson...? Huh, we got disconnected... let me dial this number again...."
I like tough love. Bring it on, sista.
Funny how the kid's priorities always require a mom with a car full of gas and a wallet full of cash.
You go girl.
Its the only way to go!!!
You are a pioneer in mothers' rights.
Power to the Mothers.
I'm coming here for all of my parenting advice.
Good luck! My technique of smothering with love is lacking the results I seek. Perhaps I should get out the dunce cap...
You are hard core. Awesome.
Amen and hallelujah! Mean moms unite!
I second the follow up post!
I think I see some Priorities changing in my kid's future.
I love tough mamas! Can't wait to see how it works out.
When I read this I thought to myself, "Wow. She really gets that Love and Logic, stuff."
You are very impressive. If you have time, please let us know how it works.
I just read this post to Mike because we are having some of the same difficulties with siblings being nice to one another. He said, "Impressive"...he is a man of few words...but I think we are going to try this approach.
I'm a sucka. I totally get my kids to practice on time cause I don't want the coach to think I'm an irresponsible alcoholic.. and I totally make my kids snacks every day cause I don't want them trashing the kitchen doing it themselves.
Analyze THAT one.
I have done this...it does work. My girls are younger but no play dates, no desert and a big fat zero on a health and fitness project did help the peace in our home.
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