Thou Shall Not Whine

Thanks for your comments yesterday. They were written with passion and great understanding. Take the time to read them. This is an issue near and dear to most of us. It’s where we live! (FYI: Erin and Ali are two of my daughters—I love hearing their perspective on parenting! It makes me smile!)

Today, we’ll take up the issue of whining.

I remember whining well….too well. It’s something that we, as moms, can become immune to hearing. It may happen so often that we don’t even notice it anymore! But, it’s an annoying tone of voice in our children (and hopefully not in ourselves!) that if left unchecked will become a habit that we’ve allowed.

When our children (around the ages of 3-9) would whine, we would remove them from the rest of the family (by sending them to sit on a sofa in our bedroom).We explained to them that whining is complaining and not acceptable behavior, and they were to stay in the bedroom until they were ready to come speak in a normal tone of voice, with instructions to return with an apology. It usually worked without having to take further steps. (Though, sometimes, they were sent back to the bedroom a second time to try again for a better tone.) Soon, they learned that using a whiny tone of voice was not acceptable without consequences.

So, what are your suggestions for ending the whineys? What has worked for you?

Tell us your children’s ages, the method(s) you’ve tried and found to work. (and if you already told us yesterday, tell us again about how you handle whining.) Like some of you said, what works for one of your children may not work for another personality or situation. Maybe we’ll all get some good suggestions. This will be fun and enlightening!

Tomorrow, we’ll talk about tattling! But, don’t go tellin’ anyone ; ).

Does it Work?

Recently at a parenting class I attended, there was some discussion on discipline methods and “what works”. So, we defined “works” in reference to changing a child’s behavior. I don’t remember the exact definition my friend, Cheryl said, but it was something along the lines of:

It’s where good attitude and proper behavior meet; a heart change in your child. It's establishing the boundaries necessary for peace in your home. It's training in righteousness.

Too many times we find ourselves corralling, controlling, or simply enduring our child’s behavior, hoping it will pass, or not even knowing how to deal with it.

And when we do find something that “works’ it doesn’t necessarily mean that particular behavior will never creep in or happen again. It might. It probably will. And we press on.

So, this week I want us to discuss some methods you’ve used to change your child’s behavior. Things that have “worked” in regard to talking back, lying, being a tattle-tale, not following through, whining, and others.

Do you have a definition of what “works”?

What are some particular areas you struggle with in correcting your child’s behavior?

Come back tomorrow….we’ll begin then with whining. Got some good suggestions?

Friday Finds

Check out one of my favorite girls, Abbi. She's willing to make you a customized cake for the price of ingredients ! (But, may I suggest a really good tip, too) ; ). She's a confectionary artist! Her designs are not only beautiful, they're YUMMY! Ask her for a picture of the guitar cake she made!

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Check this out! A-MAY-zing!!

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Leaves of Three:

These we want

Green Beans

These we don't

Poison Ivy (for Cindy)

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Weekend plans? Graduation party for us, still working on the deck, opening the pool, and Kody is playing with the Switch Youth Band at the Edmond Lifechurch.tv weekend experiences! Don't miss it.....LOADS of praise and worship energy!

NOTE: As in all things Lifechurch (and life in general) there has been a change....the youth band is NOT playing this weekend.

What Do You Think?

"The devil aims high."

Do you agree?

What does that statement mean to you?

Leave it With Him

From Streams in the Desert

I need oil," said an ancient monk; so he planted an olive sapling.

"Lord," he prayed, "it needs rain that its tender roots may drink and swell. Send gentle showers." And the Lord sent gentle showers.

"Lord," prayed the monk, "my tree needs sun. Send sun, I pray Thee."

And the sun shone, gilding the dripping clouds.

"Now frost, my Lord, to brace its tissues," cried the monk.

And behold, the little tree stood sparkling with frost, but at evening it died.

Then the monk sought the cell of a brother monk, and told his strange experience.

"I, too, planted a little tree," he said, "and see! it thrives well. But I entrust my tree to its God. He who made it knows better what it needs than a man like me. I laid no condition. I fixed not ways or means. 'Lord, send what it needs,' I prayed, 'storm or sunshine, wind, rain, or frost. Thou hast made it and Thou dost know.'"

Which tree are you?

He Loves Me

My husband came home last week and said with a smile, “I got you something”. He went back out to his truck and came inside and presented this:

And some of you girls only get flowers…. ; )

(If you know me very well at all, you know this is a very special gift. It’s right up there with used Starbucks coffee grounds that my newest s-i-l, Alexander brought me for my compost.)

Is there a gift you received that was odd, but meaningful?

What I Always Wanted to Be

Yesterday was another delightfully crazy, loud and boisterous day at The Meadows’.

Mother’s Day.

I know most of you moms did your usual things yesterday on your “special” day. ;) Early in the day I vacuumed, mopped, gardened, ran the dishwasher and washing machine, cleaned bathrooms.

While I was vacuuming I was thinking, “Hmmm…vacuuming on Mother’s Day.” Then, I thought, “You know, it’s what I do…..and I love it”. I really love my job. I’m a mom. I take care of things. It’s what I was created to do and to be.

I’m satisfied and blessed.

If you’re a mom, I hope today finds you satisfied and blessed too. (And even if you’re not a mom, I still hope you are satisfied and blessed!)

Me with my mom and sister, Cristi

Me with my girls and some more of my girls

PS - I had lots of help from my sons yesterday. Andrew did the cooking, Jacob washed windows, and Kody helped Dirk on the new deck. But I didn't get any pictures with them!