Discipline

About a week or so ago I noticed that my children were complaining a lot whenever I would shut off the television and tell them to play.

Lots of complaining. Complaining that involved one of my least favorite phrases: "that's not fair!"

Fair?

Not watching TV isn't fair?

I knew I had to do something, so I did.

I talked to Ben and said "we need to do something."

He suggested we get rid of the television all together.

I said he was crazy. I'm not one of those moms. Those moms that don't have a television and their kids are awesome and super smart well adjusted kids. I use the television for things like distracting my children so I can go take a shower in the morning or keeping them quiet while I'm trying to keep a baby asleep. There may be a day when I'm ready to take the big old mom plunge into no television awesomeness, but not yet.

So I made an alternative suggestion. How about if we cut way back on TV time. I mean way back. And I added this rule: all homework must be done, their bedroom must be clean, and toys must be picked up before we have any TV time at night.

I guess that maybe more like three rules.

And I made a similar rule for Ben and I too. All laundry had to be done and put away, all dishes had to be clean or in the dishwasher, and we had to have accomplished some other cleaning goal.

Again, maybe that is more like three rules...or five.

The point was that we were going to get more things done and watch less TV.

And it's working. The kids haven't been complaining (much) and we've been getting more done. They even cleaned their room today without protest. They just did it.

I'm always amazed that when I mean mom it up and provide some structure and discipline to the way we spend our time that the kids usually respond well.

Moms know this. I know this. But it has been rough to get myself to that place after the year we've had. But were getting there.

Now to focus on staying there.