Every child is different. Everything from likes to dislikes to moods to learning. I have children with four very different personalities. Some similarities but even those are different :)
Each one of the kids wake up different. Emma, Grace, and Cameron all wake up very easily. Emma and Grace want breakfast. Cameron wants cuddles. After a few minutes, I’ve got wide eyed, ready for the day munchkins. Natalie on the other hand is more like me. Just a few more minutes turn into half an hour at least. Don’t bother me with breakfast until I am damn well good and ready! Give me a little while once I AM standing to open my eyes completely. This is why Natalie went to afternoon kindergarten and Grace will be going to morning!
Since Natalie started 1st grade, mornings have been a struggle. For awhile the kids, on their own, woke up between 5:30 and 6 am. 2 1/2 hours was perfect to get Miss Natalie up and moving, showered and dressed, breakfast and off to the bus stop. When the time change- Spring Forward- happened, it set the kids’ alarm clocks all off. They are getting up later and later which puts Natalie behind no matter how much I push and yell and bribe. She has missed the bus, been an hour late to school so many times, I’m ready to scream. Her dad and I have taken away things, put her in time out, tried to get her up earlier, and even smacked her on the tush once or twice.
I’ve told her that next time she misses the bus, she would have to walk. In reality, I couldn’t- busy roads and she’s my baby. I’ve told her that she would have to go to school in her jammies. I’ve never followed through----- UNTIL TODAY! Once she figured out that I was REALLY serious, I had to do some interesting moves to get her out the front door. She was even more mad when I locked it and walked away. I stuck with it. I drove her to school because I was doing some work there today. She refused to get out of the car. I took her backpack into her teacher and told her what was going on. Her teacher said that was great because they were reading a book about that same subject matter. I told her teacher "Great! Anything I can do to help!" I went back to the car and half carried her in to the school. Natalie crying and pleading with me to just take her home so she could change her pants. I set her outside her classroom door and told her that this was because of choices she made. I told her I loved her and pushed her into her classroom along with a staff member who shuffled her to the rest of the way in. I turned around and left.
I can’t believe I actually did it! I am so proud of myself I can hardly see straight! I wonder if Natalie will drag her feet tomorrow morning....... (insert diabolical laughter here)
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2 comments:
Cattigan, I am so proud of you!!!! The closest I came to that was making Emily GET to school in her pajamas (three's class of preschool) and then let her get dressed in the car because she truly seemed well and truly repentful at that point. And now when I threaten that she'll end up in her pajamas, she hops to it! I'll be shocked if Natalie doesn't jump to attention the next time. LOL
Good for you for sticking with what you said you'd do. It's so important that kids see that WE MEAN WHAT WE SAY!
HUGS, I know that wasn't easy
Cattigan, you rock!!! I am impressed. My mom only followed through on something like that once (we went to bed without supper because we wouldn't stop fighting at the table)... she now tells me she sat downstairs crying all night after that. I am so proud of you for doing it and especially for knowing that you were right to do it. they need limits and they need to know that the limits are real. can't wait to hear how tomorrow morning goes. good luck.
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