You should probably know by now that I missed out on the disciplinarian gene when they were giving it out at parent school. The rest of that feeding, diapering stuff, I can manage just fine but it’s becoming apparent that I’m not very much good at making them do what I say. And kids are like bloodhounds, they sense your weakness and they go for the jugular, if you know what I mean.
Since Kirsten was born, I haven’t really had to discipline her. Because she usually gets away with stuff with those innocent I’m-such-an-angel eyes of hers. Also, I’m secretly dreading having to attempt to discipline her only to look like a complete wuss in the process. Mostly the second one.
In any case, I’ve got nothing to be afraid of anymore because it’s come true. Baby girl is oblivious to any attempt I make to enforce a set of rules around her. The kid is like a free spirit, and I’m being nice here. To be fair, she’s a really good girl and not really into any of that adrenaline-inducing feats her brother does. The only things I’ve got to stop her from doing are like spitting out food and pressing the buttons on the fan repeatedly, which let’s face it, are far from hardcore. In other words, my tolerance for her misdemeanors is pretty high.
Anyway, yesterday, I finally had to put my foot down. She was making a colossal mess on her baby chair, flinging food everywhere just for kicks and laughing like it’s a big joke. So I mustered my fierce mommy face, raised my index finger close to her and said “No no, don’t fling your food around.” Lame as that gesture is, it usually works with Tru. He will at least stop for a moment and look remorseful before going back to making an even greater mess.
Baby girl looked at me, then reached forward and BIT MY FINGER. With her 4 very sharp teeth. Now that my ego was as bruised as my finger, I waved my teeth-marked finger just out of her reach and told her again, “NO NO KIRSTEN, NO FOOD-FLINGING AND NO BITING!” as if that was going to help.
She then proceeded to snap at my finger with her teeth like a hungry piranha. Not what I would call a successful attempt at discipline.
I’m not going to get fooled by those innocent eyes no more. Next stop, naughty corner. Wish me luck.
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Our boy and I have decided that if I ever pop a baby, he would take care of the discipline part. Whiew! He said parents today don’t get what makes kids tick, but he does. Punishment for bad behaviour would be a complete deletion of all songs in the kid’s iPod, followed by a full load of “nagging lecturing tunes”. GO SIT IN THE CORNER AND LISTEN TO NAGGING TRACK #4 NOW! Pure torture. Sure to bring on the good behaviour. Our 18 year old will grow up to be a great discipline master.
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Hahaha. If you ever have a playlist of those “nagging lecturing tunes” please burn it to a CD and post it to me, I’ll pay for it!
Your picture of the two in the swing, is almost exactly the same as my sister and I. I have a baby due in January, so I cannot speak to teaching discipline methods to toddlers. But one thing that worked well when I was young was allowing me to follow through with my wont act. However, I was a voracious eater. The biting issue was finally put to rest one day. I bit my my mom, and she bit back, and said owwwwwwwwwww! She admits t feeling very guilty about it , but says is stopped me from biting. I ,however, in my cintinued effort to annoy everybody taller than me discovered JUMPING. And i did not rest until i could jump and tap everyone of my aunts and uncles on the head.
SHE BIT YOU BACK? She must have been real upset?
And you must have been good at high jump later on, right? :)
It must be the “youngest” child thingy :)
For us, we always comfort ourselves..”baby still young, still cute, maybe later then discipline”.
But our girl is growing Fast, no thanks to her Bros’ influences, and she is tearing down our Rules !! Very difficult to put on a Stern face, when she smile back at you oh-so-innocently, even after Daddy has beaten her buttocks !
sorry no comforting word for you, we are in same boat haha
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Andy, you never beat hard enough. Hahah.
That’s coming from someone who hasn’t laid a finger on the kids!
Babies and children have a “filter” for the no’s and not’s. So your girl probably heard something like “… Kirsten … flinging … biting”. Then she bit!
Use positive words instead. Tell the child what to do. E.g.” Stop! Be gentle.”
Giving deep animal-like growls works on my boy too. Think lion, tiger & bull-dog. I learnt this from The Happiest Toddler on The Block by Dr. Karp (http://www.happiestbaby.com/book-dvd-excerpts/the-happiest-toddler-book/)
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Wow. Growling. I suspect that’s why the husband’s a lot more effective with discipline – sorry hon!
I’m big on discipline, but can only implement when no grandparent is in view. heh.
daddy is stricter than me and we can be really tough combined.
although I try to discern when my 23 month old is lashing out due to frustration and not being deliberately naughty/rebellious/defiant… which can be tough sometimes. pray for wisdom!
Its tough because its probably a mixture of all of the above sometimes. Yes, parenting requires lots of wisdom..
I see the biting stage has kicked in. My lil one too…she bit me on the shoulder till she drew blood, a scolding and sob sesh followed. I cross my fingers I’ve nipped it in the bud.