by Liz | All Things Kids
I’ve been doing a lot of research lately because our three-year-old likes to pop out of bed as soon as she hears the tiniest of sounds in the morning (aka my 5:20 alarm so I have 30 minutes of alone time to exercise). Needless to say, this has undesirable consequences for everyone.
The thing is, when she gets up early (or at her much later wake up time if 6 am) she is fully prepared to face the day with a smile. She gets a decent afternoon nap and is in bed by 7:00 – 7:30 pm most nights. Her routine has been pretty fixed for a while and I am not ready to give up a daytime nap, nor do I think she’s ready. So, the only solution I can see is to push back her bedtime.
There have certainly been times where she has gone to bed much later than that and still risen with the dawn. However, we have never made it a consistent switch.
I’m not sure I’m prepared for the emotional warfare that will commence if she’s overtired and cranky. But 5:20? Really?? Why won’t she just stay in bed?
So we will attempt to slowly move back her bedtime and see what that brings. Are we crazy? We shall see!
by Liz | Health & Home
It’s crazy how quickly these little babes grow and with them, our expectations. It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment and forget to see the bigger picture. Sleepless nights, tantrums, incessant questions, disregard for rules, is there a moment that isn’t challenging? Think positive? No way!
I often hear people bemoaning the struggles of this or that stage and wishing of speedy delivery to the next and we are certainly guilty if this too! I don’t believe these complaints represent our overall parental well-being or happiness and we all need to share our frustrations. Yet, I can’t help but feel that it’s too easy to focus on the negative aspects of our current struggle and forget all the amazing and wonderful things that happen each day. Our brains are hard wired to focus on the negatives and the positives are all too easily glossed over and forgotten.
My mission these days is to actively remember all the great things that happen each day. We have technology at our fingertips, so use it! I have a terrible memory so I need all the help I can get. Snap a picture, capture a quick video, jot down a note, save a piece of artwork or some token from a shared activity…the list goes on. I’m making it a point to do this and the process helps me focus on the good stuff! It doesn’t have to be anything monumental or earth shattering, just something that makes you smile. Let’s try a little harder to be grateful for the amazing family we are building (despite it’s many flaws)!
by Liz | Health & Home
In no particular order…
1. It’s hard to hit 10,000 steps unless I go for a LONG walk!
2. Sitting at a desk during work more than halves the number of steps for that day (no matter how much I try to get up).
3. I’m a much more sedentary person than I thought…or want to be.
4. The sleep tracker works way better than a baby log (no input needed!).
5. Toddlers and crawlers keep you on your toes.
6. I’m addicted to the party on my arm when I hit goal (FitBit users, you know what I mean).
7. I need to start running up and down the stairs at nap times (too bad I have creaky old floors).
…I’m sure I’ll think of more!
by Liz | All Things Kids
Discipline has been an evolving process since our oldest was born. It’s difficult to remember the early days but we tend to have headstrong kids who aren’t afraid to make their wishes known. Case and point, the little one is getting braver by the second and responds to the word “No!” with a wail of protest. She still complies, for the next five seconds at least.
We always try to follow the ideals of positive reinforcement, pointing out the good things in hopes of encouraging more good behavior. Harping on the “bad” behavior often begets more of the same as even negative attention in a busy household is attention focused on that child. Kids know how to push our buttons so when I start getting my words parroted back to me before I even say them, I know it’s time to change my strategy.
That said, many of the tactics we use don’t always prove effective when dealing with toddler discipline. Incentives and rewards are often shrugged aside when a stubborn three-year-old has her nose out of joint about something or other. Praise and encouragement only go so far when she has her little heart set on the sequence of events happening as she sees them.
More often than not, communication is the root of many of our difficulties. It’s not easy for a precocious three-year-old to understand parent imposed limits, timeframes or obligations like work. Sometimes, after attempting to satisfy an endless stream of “Why, mommy?”, “Because I said so!” is the only answer left. If you take a step back and try to view our hectic lives from a child’s point of view it’s easy to see why they balk when we try to hurry, or resist when we try to cajole. Their needs and wants are simple…love, attention, a full belly and some good old fashioned fun.
So as I grind my teeth in frustration after the millionth challenge of the day, I try to put myself in her shoes and find a little more patience. I’ll try to pick my battles and save them for the big ticket items I really care about…manners, kindness and gratitude being at the top of that list.
What are your tried and true best practices for discipline? I’d love to add to my repertoire!
