Saturday, September 02, 2006
ARGH
Complete and total frustration! I got up this morning with a severe sinus headache - could not sleep. Since that time I've been both trying to get rid of it and to get the house picked up and cleaned. Son1 has done a decent job today of helping and getting his chores done. Son2....it's an ongoing weekly battle that I simply cannot seem to make progress on. He refuses to co-operate at all - even in the basic things that involve his stuff. I hate sounding like a nag yet I can't seem to make any progress at all. He's a child that physical discipline has never worked on and he's big enough that nothing else works either. ARGH. And even though this weekend is a 3 day weekend - next weekend essentially will only be a 1 day weekend as I'm driving a cross country meet for Son1. I'm excited to get to drive some of Son1's events - I get in free and get to be with him. (He's informed me he won't talk to me or sit near me.....that makes me smile as that's not new.) I am attempting to work with FLYLADY's routines.....getting the sink cleaned at night, planning ahead...basically getting control. However right now I'm behind - hate the chaos and hate the attempting to get Sons to help. OK...enough. I'll try to post something more positvie later.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hi There! I blog hopped here from Africa Bleus site. (Just adore that woman!)
Anyway, I'm going to butt my nose in and offer some unsolicited advice about Son2. He sounds VERY much like my own #2 son who was a challenge from the time he was born. We all survived his raising, but there were times that it was a close call! Never met a child so determined to do things his own way in all my life.
The point being, punishment was exceptionally challenging. Over the years we found that the only effective way to discipline him was to let him have his way. But to do it in a manner that made him not like the results. For instance, if he didn't do his chore of taking out the trash, we didn't fight with him, we simply did it for him. And put the full, tied off bag on the bed with him to sleep with. It took him three days and much wailing, but eventually he decided that he didn't want to sleep with the trash so he took it out. That's just one small example, but we found that once we hit on the right combination of things in any given situation, his behaviour was quick to change also.
Don't get me wrong, it was HARD. He would cry and say terrible things like " You hate me! Your treating me like garbage!!" It was horrid. BUT...he's 21 now...and openly admits that it was all a calculated effort on his part to stay in control. Little Bugger!!
Anyway, what I really wanted to say was "Hang in there" In the end, he will grow up and with any luck you will look back with fondness on these times. :-)Some of our biggest laughs when we are all together are listening to him talk about what HE was thinking back then... ROFL
Hi Lisa....thanks for coming on over and reading my blog - and for the advice. It just might come to that....I've been at my wits' end with him! It doesn't help that when his dad was sick I only had the energy to handle the very basics with him. Ok....enough of that. HE is strongwilled and independent....and always has been.
Have a great day.
Post a Comment