Works For Me Wednesday: Growing Pains - Testing Boundaries

By MAD21

We've had a stressful week or two in our house. I'll call it growing pains. You know the kind, -- when your kids decide to start testing the boundaries and rules. I have to say that I think this is one of the most difficult things to deal with as a parent. I don't know about you, but I don't like feeling like a bully or having an authoritarian household. But there comes a time when our kids need to learn that they don't always get a say, and they need to get their sense of entitlement under control.

It's bad enough when your kids misbehave at home, but when the disrespect starts to show up in other places like school, there needs to be some serious action to get them under control.

We feel, as most parents do, that it's important our children do their best at school. Here are some things we do to help our kids prepare for their day:

* Be Prepared. Have everything you need for the next morning all laid out and ready the night before. Homework done and put into backpack; snack/lunch prepared; clothes picked out and ready to be put on; etc.

* Sleep. SO, so important. Whether they fall asleep right away or not, children should go to bed at the same time every night. Have a good routine that you follow every night (for the most part), so that their bodies and minds can prepare to go to sleep. Be sure that it's early enough that they are getting enough sleep for their age. Our kids are young, so they go to bed at 7:00-7:30pm. (Remember also that regardless of the day that our kids also naturally wake up with the sun. So this is their bed time everyday.)

* Morning Routines. Have a morning routine that you follow everyday. Our kid's morning looks like this:

- Get up on time.
- Go to the bathroom.
- Few minutes of snuggle time.
- Feed the pets.
- Make your bed.
- Get dressed.
- Eat breakfast.
- Brush teeth.
- Fix hair.
- Play or snuggle again if there is time.
- Leave for school.

* Healthy Breakfast. Make sure your kids get a good healthy breakfast everyday. Our kids eat yogurt and something like oatmeal everyday. Make sure that the breakfast is low in sugar (especially the refined kind) and as few processed foods as possible.

* Healthy Lunch/Snack. Pack a good lunch for your kids. They work hard at school and need something to eat that will give them good energy to finish out the day. Again, as few processed foods as possible, low in sugar (fruit is good, but not the variety that is packed in heavily sugared syrups/gels or gummies), and some good proteins and carbs.

On a good morning we have enough time to just be together before rushing out the door. (The "play or snuggle" in the list from above.) We find that this helps our kids get off to a really good start. I know it's a dream to be able to do this everyday, considering some mornings it's hard to keep everyone moving. But we've realized that at least for our kids, having this face-time with us, even if only a few minutes, really helps set the mood for the day.

What are some ways you handle discipline in your home. Aside from "The Nanny's" naughty chair, what are some ways that you help your children to make good choices without making you feel like you are always telling them what to do or giving ultimatums?

Every Wednesday, fellow blogger Kristen at We are THAT Family posts clever ideas for getting things done. She calls it, "Works For Me Wednesday" or WFMW. Kristen is in Kenya this week so her friend Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer is hosting the carnival while she is gone. Be sure to go visit her blog to read her post along with links to other blogs who are participating.

If you want to see what Kristen is up to in Kenya, please go read her story on her blog, We are THAT Family.

Comments

[JasonS]

Couldn't agree more. The times that I don't take care of things at night and think "I'll just do it in the morning" make for very stressful starts to the day for everyone. It may be hard and take time to find a routine that works, but everyone will be better off for it! Thanks Ginny.