Mowing with Daddy

The need for privacy

Challenge to be a better parent

One night a friend had pinned a link to a blog post titled, "10 Things I Learned When I Stopped Yelling At My Kids."  I had to look at it right away.  I could relate to a lot of things she said.  I decided I wanted to take the challenge of no yelling.  I told Matt that I want him to take this challenge with me.  He said something really important (to me), he made a comment that it will be easier for him than for me.  Whether it is because I am around The Gs a lot more than he is or the fact that he has a lot calmer personality than I do, either way it is true.  I do yell a lot more than he does, or anyone else in our home.  I want that to change.  I want more peace in my home.  I don't want my children to grow up in a home where yelling is an "acceptable" mode of communication.  So, I am challenging myself to 1 year with no yelling.  It is going to be hard.  I am going to take it one day at a time.  I am going to get frustrated, I am going to want to yell, but I will have to find alternatives to yelling.  On the blog that I linked to above she has alternatives to yelling,  I may need to post some of them around my house.

I have to be made accountable in order to make this work, and that is why I am making it "public" that I am doing this challenge.

On one of the pages she posted something that made me say "Yes, I want that!" And I think I will post it in a few places around the house to help me remember.  She said,

I want to be a mom who has the energy and determination to forge ahead and parent with more composure and warmth and without the yelling!

The Things They Say - Part 8

Me, after hearing one girl whisper something about boyfriend "You don't have a boyfriend.  Boys are evil."

G4 "Not mine. Jacob's not evil."

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G2 "You look as pretty as me, Mommy."

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G1, while playing Beyblades with the girls "The ones you win are practice. The ones I win are the real ones."

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G4 asked if I filled up the water jug in the fridge.  I responded "No, Daddy did."

G4 then said "I must like him."

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Me "I am tired. I think it is time for bed."

G4 "For you. Not for us."

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G2 "I want my hair grey like Grammy's for the hundredth day."

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G4 passed gas and said "I didn't fart."

Me "You didn't? What did you do then?"

G4 "I sneezed! When you fart your butt sneezes."

A little while later...

G4 "My butt sneezes a lot."

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G4 "You are my mom. Sissies don't have a mom."

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Jacob "G1, what's 55 minus 27?"

G1 "I don't have my nametag."

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G4 "Boys don't have babies!"

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G3 "Mommy, do you wish it was summer?"

Me "Yes I do, baby."

G3 "So we don't have to wear coats?"

Me "And so everyone isn't sick anymore."

G3 "And so we can go swimming?"

Me "Yeah"

G3 "I wish that, too."

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G4 "Can I have the checkbook?"

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G4 "Hey! Ours neighbor has a neighbor!"

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G3 "Pretty girls aren't tough."

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G1 "If I played the Wii game Wipeout I would win."

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G4 "I want to be in the middle of nowhere."

G4

G3

G2