We've entered a new phase. The charts have lost their luster and it seems every morning I have to do a crazy angry momma dance to get my children to ready themselves for school. I can't take it anymore! If I have to have this conversation on more time, I'm gonna.....
In the car.
Mom: Boys, I have had enough of this. Why in the world does it take us and hour and a half to get ready for school?!
Boys: wide eyed stares into my reflection in the rear view mirror
Mom: What's it gonna take? Huh? What...is...it...gonna...take?
Boys: (in unison) I don't know
Mom: Something has got to give and it's got to happen now because I'm going bananas. Do you think I want to be mad? Is that fun for me?
Boys: (still unison) nooo
Mom: is that fun for you?
Boys: nooo (sounding a bit sing songy now)
Mom: alright...you have five minutes to talk and come up with some ideas about how we (by 'we' I mean 'them') can do better in the morning
5ish minutes pass
Mom: alright boys, let's hear it
Ethan: well, we could be nice to each other
Mat: and we could get ready really fast
Ethan: and we could obey and do what you say
(do these kids know what I want to hear or what?)
Mom: alright so let's (by 'lets' I mean 'you') do better tomorrow, okay?
Boys:okay, mom
Mom: in my super high positive mommy voice Okay! I'm excited!
And just for your information, I have no faith that this conversation will result in anything because we had an identical conversation YESTERDAY.
So here's what really works: doing something new. That's right. You gotta keep in fresh. So I had these plastic poker chips kicking around and I picked a color for each kiddo and wrote the 6 things they need to get done in order to be ready to walk out the door. (Dress, shoes, hair, lunch, backpack, waterbottle) and now they have to earn 6 poker chips to earn their breakfast. Labor for food. That's love.
Worked like a charm.
Seriously. My kids are getting up at 5:30 AM (I hate daylight savings....hate, hate,hate) and now they get ready in 10 minutes and we sit around for 2 more hours before we can leave the house. Lovely. But hey, I'll take it.
So all you mommas out there, send me your tricks because when the novelty of the poker chips wears off, I'll be back to talking through my rear view mirror.
You are doing such a good job! Could you come and raise my children too? I'm seriously running out of creative interventions like that!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who is ready to be committed by the time I drop the kids off at school. Madness, I tell you!
ReplyDeleteWell, we use poker chips too (is that against church policy :)? Anywho, but we earn points. Each chip is worth a certain amount of points, and each task is worth a certain chip. Then they get to buy priviledges with their chips. Will LOVES the TV, so he has to have enough chips each day to watch any TV, etc. It works most of the time.
ReplyDeleteThe other times, we are singing, dancing, yelling, or doing whatever it takes to get them going in the morning.
We also visit the dentist (for brushing teeth) and visit the hair girl (for combing hair) that usually gets them at least done with those things pretty fast. You know how much kids like games (I personally hate games, but I hate being late and grouchy even more, so games we play.)
Good luck!
Love you!