Wednesday, July 11, 2007

My experiment in sibling fight reduction.

Disclaimer: I have no degree in creative child discipline and in no way recommend you try this at home on your own children. Should you be reckless enough to attempt this in your own home with your own children Happy Mom will in no way be held liable for any long term damage caused and/or mental medical attention needed.

We're mostly through the summer which means we're in prime I'm-tired-of-you-and-everything-you-do-annoys-me-to-my-very-core mode. To say I'm exhausted from fight mediation would be an understatement.

This morning I hit my mark. As I was drying my hair the kids came running in with yet another issue needing to be arbitrated (for like the twelve gazillionth time that morning). I calmly set the hair dryer down. Asked them to follow me to my bedroom. They each sat at the end of the bed trunk and I sat in my rocker.



Happy Girl, today you will be the only child. You will not talk to Happy Boy, you will not look at Happy Boy, and you will ignore any movement or sound coming from Happy Boy.

Happy Boy, today you will be the only child. You will not talk to Happy Girl, you will not look at Happy Girl, and you will ignore any movement or sound coming from Happy Girl.

Here are the rules. 1. If one of you are in a room then the other will find a different room to occupy. 2. This will continue until bed time tonight.

I guess in my enlightened creative moment my thought was to show them what a day without a sibling would be. What I didn't realize was what a blissfully, fight-free day I would have. *sigh*

Really, it's been amazing. The only "downside" (and believe me, it is one I can most definitely live with) would be the 7-year-old's yuk-yuk funny comments like, "Mom, quit talking to yourself" and "Mom, what's that sound. It's like there is a voice of a little boy in the room." Really, a totally livable downside.


# POSTED BY @ | Wednesday, July 11, 2007

4 Comments:

  • The girls really get along pretty well, but we have our days when I could just kill them both. Sadly it's my two year old beating up on my five year old. So, I gave her the ok yesterday to just knock the crap out of her sister the next time she laid a hand on her. How's that for mother of the year?

    By Blogger Robin, at 8:19 AM  

  • Hahaha. How I remember...my girls are 19 & 22 now...I kept them very busy in the summer, classes, crafts, day camps, but then I had two girls and they had a lot in common (besides the fighting, of course). Well, hang in there - write these frustrations down in a journal...I guarantee you will laugh in later years!
    Gin
    http://vitalitymagnet.blogspot.com

    By Blogger vitality magnet, at 1:51 PM  

  • GRIN.

    I make mine sit in chairs facing eachother and they have to hold hands. THEY HATE THAT. And if I hear them fighting again... in the chair they go. HA HA HA HA

    My husband says I'm evil.

    By Blogger Heather Hansen, at 12:00 AM  

  • I love the way your evil little mind works!

    By Blogger Addie, at 2:47 PM  

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Name: Rebekah
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