Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Entries from October 1, 2008 - November 1, 2008

Entries from October 1, 2008 - November 1, 2008

Thursday
Oct162008

Getting From Here to There: The Elements of Character Training Part 2

Character training = Teaching + Discipline + Praise + Consequences

Discipline: What you as the parent do to reinforce what you are teaching. Discipline can be positive or negative. Kids forget, they don’t understand, they make mistakes or have accidents. You don’t want to apply consequences for anything but defiance.

It is common to think discipline and consequences serve the same purpose, consequently parents use the same actions for both. Separating the two allows for clearer thinking on the parents part in deciding if your communication has been effective and what to do 1) when what you are teaching isn’t being understood by your child or 2) the kid just doesn’t care. Therefore, it is more effective not to use the same action for disciplining and applying consequences.

For example: This is just an example of thinking through the process of character training: You can use this (or not) in any way than is helpful to you.

You want to be able to take your child to the library, the store, where ever without an uproar. That is a part of daily life that you can use as a tool to help your child mature in his self-control. You say to your 3 year old. Sweetie we are going to practice self-control when we go to the library today. That means you can take out five books. (I had to limit the number of books because with three kids I was always losing books. I could keep track of 15 a week.) Self-control means when I say it is time to go we leave without any arguing and with your five books. If you don’t argue and leave without arguing showing self-control then you will have five books to enjoy this week and we can stop at the park. If you pit a fit, we will go right home and you will be timed out. Okay, how many books can you take out? Why is self-control important?

Positive discipline: getting the books and the park to reinforce the concepts of self-control, obeying mom and leaving without arguing. Negative discipline: If you argue, we will not take out any book. Consequences: If you pitch a fit, you will be timed out when we get home.

The question at the end is important because you want your child to have a growing understanding of why you do what you do. Why is self-control important? Why be generous, honest, or kind? As you verbally fill in that blank (again and again), your child begins to internalize the values you desire her to have.

For example: with our kids we told them: Self-control in important because it leads to freedom. If you are self-controlled, we can take you anywhere and have a lot of fun.

Wednesday
Oct152008

Parenting in the Real World: Timing/Spacing Children

When I was a MOPS mentor, from time to time a mom would ask me about the best timing or spacing for the next child. I always though this was an odd question. I grew up in a family of eight and except for my youngest sibling; we are all 11 to 12 months apart. You read correctly, 11 to 12 months. Having a baby every year was standard practice in my home. We all liked babies. Unfortunately, babies grow up and become siblings. We were not all fond of each other all the time growing up. Fortunately, siblings grow up to be adults. Now we all like each other and get along remarkably well. Since we will be adults a lot longer then we were kids, our parent’s “timing” worked out well in the long run.

My four kids are 2 ½ years, 18 months and 4years between one child and the next.

My kids are “timed” all over the place. The two that were 18 months apart were good friends for years. Now that the older 3 are in their late teens and early 20s, they get along quite well. The 13-year-old still has the potential for driving her sibling crazy and she still enjoys living up to her potential.

In term of timing children the only advice I have is to try make sure your child will not turn 18 during his/her senior year of high school. You will save yourself having to listen to” I am legal now and can do what I want. You are not the boss of me. “

It is amusing to listen to this assertion being stated with perfect sincerity and legal justification by a person who still expects to receive food, clothing, shelter and all other thing American teens firmly believe they are entitled to and their parents should provide.

Unless it is your kid saying it.

Tuesday
Oct142008

What Do You do While Dropping E-Cards?

E-card for those of you who don’t know is a wonderful free traffic building service open to all bloggers. For new bloggers, it is a way to get your blog noticed and maybe even read by others of our ilk.

E-card is free (for now) but it does take time. You can get the details of getting started at Entrecard.com. Once set up, you visit other E-card members and “drop your card”. I am kinda compulsive so I drop the limit of 300 cards most days. It takes me about an hour and a half a day to complete 300 drops. Since this is my main means of consistent traffic to date, I see that as a reasonable investment of time. I could drop faster but there are blogs I read most days, comments to leave and there are always interesting blogs to discover.

I am curious what other e-carders do while they are dropping and hopefully commenting as we go our merry way. I was listening to TV shows I had TiVoed. Now I listen to St Augustine’s Confessions. This is a college level course available for The Teaching Company, (free advertising for a very useful product). My husband bought the CDs for to use while commuting. I’ve run through all the NCIS I had TiVoed. I have to admit listening to two college professors lecture on St Augustine makes me feel very intelligent as I stare at my computer and visit blogs, read and comment from time to time. If only I could find a way to exercise and drop at the same time! I need a Wii Fit that interfaces with E-card.

I am curious, what do you do as you make your e-card rounds?

Monday
Oct132008

The Hundred-Pushup Challenge: Join In!

I have been looking at The Hundred Push Up Challenge. I mentioned it originally in Blogs Worth A Click. This is the kind of physical challenge I enjoy. It has a specific goal, measurable results and a time limit. I will be doing the weenie push ups (they call them alternative push ups but I know they are weenie ones) …I am a woman of some substance…full push ups are not yet doable for me. The One Hundred Push Up web site provides a handy dandy six week schedule.

I have tried to get my husband to join me. He laughed. The kids believe it or not each claim they can do a hundred push ups. I’m not sure I believe it but one plays hockey, one is a brown belt in Marshal Arts and one does hour long Pilates taped for fun.

If you have done this challenge leave a link in a comment and I will post it. I will need all the encouraging posts to read I can get. If you want to join in and post about your experience, leave a link in a comment and I will post your exploits also! If you just want to give it a try, please leave a comment. I would love the exercise company!

Next Monday I will post of my accomplishments. Hope to hear from lots of you! See you then!

Friday
Oct102008

Blogs Worth A Click: Autumn Addition

As the weather gets cooler, it is time to start baking, simmering, and stirring. Here are some interesting and unique recipes to make your home smell wonderful and welcoming as you prepare breakfast or dinner.

Wanda at 1Blog and 2 Sides has an interesting recipe for Strawberry Butter Pretzel Salad

Mom Sparks has No Brainer Easy Peanut Butter Cookies. For some reason the site will not link to this recipe so here is the url.

http://momspark.blogspot.com/2008/10/no-brainer-recipes-peanut-butter.html Please copy and paste to get to this tasty cookie recipe.

Divine Carol offers Pumpkin Apple Breakfast Bread

The Daily Dish has a tummy-warming recipe for Cheeseburger Soup

$5 Dollar Dinners has another tummy-warming recipe for Minestrone Soup

Scribbit has an interesting take on the apple pie with a Tiny Apple Pie Recipe

Have your home smell wonderful with Tammy’s Recipes Homemade Wheat Bread

Finally: If you are a foodie who loves to cook, lose yourself at Smitten’s Kitchen

If you have a favorite autumn recipe or a site to share, please leave a comment.

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