Thursday, July 30, 2009

Can someone help me, PLEASE!!

This has been the week from....well, you know where. Not sure why, but apparently it is in the stars because my sweet sister-in-law, Kristen, is going through the same thing. Whew..makes me feel better!! Anyway, this is the scenario. Ethan has become my boss, a very controlling boss...plan and simple. Here is a typical conversation....Mommy, can I go outside?....yes, but you need to put a shirt and shoes on!...okay, go get my shirt and shoes!....No!, you get your stuff!...NO!!!! you get it!!...NOOOOO!!! you get it!!...And so on and so forth!! So I am not sure if this is just the mind of a 3 1/2 year old...I tell myself that but I know that it is really not true, its just my child.

I can take the bossing around for about 1 day...and then I am over it!! I don't just roll over and take it, I try to correct the behavior. Tell him not to talk to me like that...time out, take toys away, wooden spoon...none seem to work, for very long, that is! So this is the advise that I get...be consistent, stand your ground, don't let him boss you around. Well, I do those things and it's just plain HARD!! Ethan is an extremely active child. Loves to play, I love that about him!! He does not watch a lot of TV, or sit and play. He wants to be outside running, skateboarding, things like that!! I think that it is awesome, I love that he is so active. But when it comes to being quiet and having some down time....its like another child takes over. He all of a sudden becomes this child that cannot do anything for himself and needs constant help. Which we all know that he does not...when he is outside doing what he loves he is completely independent!! So you might say, well keep him busy and playing. Well, easier said than done. There is this one other little thing called his sister, Sophie. Who takes naps eats lunch and dinner at the same time everyday..is on a complete schedule!! So its the balance between the 2 that comes into play. For me its not a hard concept to grasp, but for a 3 year old...is devastating! So here I am STUCK..with no real direction!! Keep doing what I am doing is what's going to happen. Oh and Kristen is going to do some research for us...

My sweet Mother-in-law, Linda is taking ethan for 3 days....HALLELUJAH!! She sensed that I needed a break. Thanks God for family!!

Friday, July 17, 2009

This one is for Ashley!!

I have been getting crap from my dear friend Ashley about my blog....or lack thereof!! So here I sit reading my sweet, sweet friends blog who is battling cancer and thinking that if she can update her blog weekly and go through all the crap (sorry for the use of that word, again...but it is the best way to describe it) that she is going through (ie treatments) then I can get back on the ball with this.

So my latest annoyance it my neighbors kids!! Sorry if you are readying this Jackie....BUT!! I have never in my life met a child that inhales as much sugar as this child does....I mean, juice box after juice box, popsicle after popsicle, cookie after cookie....you see where I am going with this. But my issue is not about the fact that his parents are going to have an outrageous dentist bill one day, its that when the IV of sugar runs out at his house, where does he go you ask??? MY HOUSE!! Now I have to preface this by saying that we have a refridgerator out in the garage and its sole purpose is house drinks, juice boxes, popsicles, beer(the most inportant one, really!!), and things alike. So it is known in the hood that such things are there. So this was just the conversation that I heard while I was in my house and the back door is open.....

Mind you its 10:30 am at the time....

"Ethan, you want a popsicle?" ethan says no. "Ethan you want a juice box" ethan says no. "Ethan you want a shake,shake(this is what ethan calls chocolate milk)" ethan says no. Then not 2 minutes later here they all come in the door.....Ethan says, "Mommy, can we have a popsicle"

Hmmmm.....now I just heard Ethan say he didnt want one...so why is he now asking for one?? I will let you guess!! And maybe you are asking...Why do you care, Katie?? And honestly, I dont know. What I do know is that I want Ethan to be a very polite, respectable child. I want him to know that if he is at someone elses house and is thirsty or hungry then he knows to ASK for it in a polite way. Not demanding. And from what I have heard he does do that.....but I am afraid that through influence those things might change.

Yes, I know that this is the difficulties of raising children....having friends that are raised differently that my child. And finding a balance in the middle. I had a friend growing up that I loved playing with, her name was Jaymee Reavis. She was such a rebel....I loved being around her. Her babysitter would give us cigarettes, would let us cuss and be everything that my parents had raised me NOT to be!! But I loved being with her...in my eyes she was so cool!! Well after about a year of being her BFF my parent forbid me to ever play with her again. And that was kind of hard seeing as she was my neighbor. But so it went that we never played again. And now at almost 32 years old....I am thankful that my parents did that because fun, rebelous, cigarette smoking, cussing Jaymee is a heroin addict and has been in and out of prision since high school. I digress, sorry...well a little digression is alway the root to another story!! Right?? So where do I draw the line with these kids?? My rules and constent nagging are not getting anywhere with these kids and they ignore what I say (well let me correct myself...they obey until I am out of sight and the breaking of the rules begins)....so I am at a loss.

And may I add that its also hard to explain to a 3 year old why he cant play some days with them.....he just doesnt understand. Nor should he...they have fun together. He just has a crazy mom who cant stand it!!

So anyway...there is my rant for today!! I have another blog already brewing in my head about religion and Facebook and how they holier than thou are about to drive me batty. That may be a long one...HAHA!!!