This tip is new one for me. I am at a total loss with some issues going on around our house. Last night, I called the Pritchards (parents of 8) for some advice. The issue? Trouble! My kids have been getting into things they are not suppose to touch without permission. Last night, my husband wanted to put a lock on every drawer, every cabinet…every single one. That’s a baby lock on EVERYTHING. The baby is getting into all bottom drawers, which I generally have tupperware, their plates, cups, etc. in the kitchen. However, our nightstand was our stuff. The baby isn’t the biggest problem though. It’s my older girls. We’ve had issues with stealing gum, putting fabric glue all over a good shirt and gluing down buttons while also getting glue all over the carpet, getting into the nail polish and putting it all over the bath tub and hands, taking tape and taping Kenzie in a diaper box, eating money (which now means I’m sorting through poop, and if we don’t find it she’ll have to get x-rays)…and these are just some incidences from this past week. They have consequences and disciplines, but it doesn’t seem to be making a difference. I’ve told them that I love that they want to be creative, but they need to ask and sometimes be under supervision with their ideas. Still, they sneak. So, I called in for some advice.
The advice is that they’re by my side for a bit. I have explained to them this morning that I can’t trust them to be alone. So, if they need to go to the bathroom, I go to. If I need to go to the bathroom, they are assigned a place to sit and must not move from that place. If I am working in the kitchen, then they need to find a puzzle or approved activity to do at the kitchen table. If they want to change clothes, I go upstairs with them. If I am busy or don’t want to go upstairs at the moment, they have to wait. Nothing happens without my supervision. Hopefully, they’ll quickly learn that life isn’t fun when I can’t trust them. I am not looking forward to these days – I tell you that. I have always like that my kids are fairly independent. I am independent myself and the thought of having the kids at my hip ALL DAY is a bit overwhelming. However, the disobedience is unacceptable in our house, and what we were doing wasn’t working, so I have to switch it up and find something that does work. Hopefully, they’ll learn quickly.
Wow! Great parenting tip. I do hope things get better for all of you. Please keep us posted how this tip goes. Again, thanks for sharing!
Yeah, it’s been a pretty hard week at our house. It is hard to have them so reined in all day. I will definitely give you the update. I’m starting to loosen the reins it.