I am way behind on everything blog related. I have gotten a few emails that I haven't returned, I've been inconsistent at best on posting, and I may be the World's Worst Commenter title holder at the moment.
Sorry.
Honestly, I'm feeling a little out of control. I've been wrapped up in some work drama that I'd love to blog about, but seeing as how these posts could be read by absolutely anyone, I think I'll bite my tongue (er, fingers?) since I want to keep my job (at least until I can find a new one).
I've also been obsessed with finding the perfect Christmas gifts online and so far, I have done so for about 75% of the people for whom I need to buy gifts. If I can help it, I'll never enter the mall again. Thank you, eBay, Etsy, and PayPal.
However, I have two hilarious stories for you....all about my L.
This morning, he woke up talking about his car, The King, again. That always makes me laugh, but when he smiled and announced, "I love Fuh King," I decided it was time to warn the teachers about good ole Fuh King.
Secondly, I asked him to get his socks on this morning. He ignored me and went about his merry way for several minutes. I guess the tone of my voice changed when I asked him for the 4th time, and he looked at me, put his hands up, and said, "Mommy, be patient. Just be patient."
My response? "I will not be patient...I've asked you four times to get your socks on. I am out of patience."
L looked at me and started singing the song that we sing to him when he makes "sad choices," "Uh-oh, Mommy needs a little bedroom time! This is SO sad."
Apparently, I have lost control in all aspects of my life....
Showing posts with label Love and Logic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love and Logic. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Monday, October 12, 2009
Today is NOT a stereotypical Monday....
(I did NOT forget again to download MckMama's Not Me! icon for my post since my work blocks it for some unknown reason. I do NOT ever forget anything....Not me!)
I did NOT arrive late for work after Logan faceplanted in his school hallway and cried for ten minutes (he was fine, just scared). I would never put Crocs on my son on a gloomy rainy fall midwest day. Everyone knows that just spells disaster. Duh.
I did NOT receive a ribbing from my assistant principal for arriving late. He did NOT tell me that someone needed to write a social story for me on how to be on time for work. (Social stories are tools I use to teach students about socially appropriate behaviors and choices.) Sadly, he's NOT right. I'm the perfect employee and would NOT ever be late for work. Not me!
I did NOT giggle at a student after busting out the Love and Logic on a very difficult fifth student. It did NOT make me laugh when he responded with, "I don't like this new way you are taking to me," "if you don't want me in your group, just say it," and "um...I know you are pretending like you can't hear me even though you can!" I take my job much too seriously for that.
I did NOT test a fourth grader who told me my assessment tool was "suckish" and proceeded to run out of my room after deciding that my treasure box prizes were also just as "suckish." I have total control over my students and they would NOT ever think it was okay to use inappropriate language in my classroom. And they certainly would NOT leave the room without my permission!
I did NOT have to calm down one of my first grade girls who, when told that the rule was that you have to eat your lunch before going outside, screamed, "This is bullshit!" And if I did, I did NOT take pride in the fact that said first grade girl used 'bullshit' in the correct context. I would NOT ever think any kind of swearing, especially by a first grader, was even remotely positive. Not me!
I did NOT make an appointment for a massage tonight when my day started getting more and more Monday-esque. I have NOT been holding onto this gift certificate for two days short of a year. I am NOT thanking my lucky stars that for once it paid off to be a procrastinator. No way...NOT me!
What are you NOT doing this Monday? Join the blog carnival that MckMama began and join the fun! It's NOT therapeutic in the least. Trust me!
I did NOT arrive late for work after Logan faceplanted in his school hallway and cried for ten minutes (he was fine, just scared). I would never put Crocs on my son on a gloomy rainy fall midwest day. Everyone knows that just spells disaster. Duh.
I did NOT receive a ribbing from my assistant principal for arriving late. He did NOT tell me that someone needed to write a social story for me on how to be on time for work. (Social stories are tools I use to teach students about socially appropriate behaviors and choices.) Sadly, he's NOT right. I'm the perfect employee and would NOT ever be late for work. Not me!
I did NOT giggle at a student after busting out the Love and Logic on a very difficult fifth student. It did NOT make me laugh when he responded with, "I don't like this new way you are taking to me," "if you don't want me in your group, just say it," and "um...I know you are pretending like you can't hear me even though you can!" I take my job much too seriously for that.
I did NOT test a fourth grader who told me my assessment tool was "suckish" and proceeded to run out of my room after deciding that my treasure box prizes were also just as "suckish." I have total control over my students and they would NOT ever think it was okay to use inappropriate language in my classroom. And they certainly would NOT leave the room without my permission!
I did NOT have to calm down one of my first grade girls who, when told that the rule was that you have to eat your lunch before going outside, screamed, "This is bullshit!" And if I did, I did NOT take pride in the fact that said first grade girl used 'bullshit' in the correct context. I would NOT ever think any kind of swearing, especially by a first grader, was even remotely positive. Not me!
I did NOT make an appointment for a massage tonight when my day started getting more and more Monday-esque. I have NOT been holding onto this gift certificate for two days short of a year. I am NOT thanking my lucky stars that for once it paid off to be a procrastinator. No way...NOT me!
What are you NOT doing this Monday? Join the blog carnival that MckMama began and join the fun! It's NOT therapeutic in the least. Trust me!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Jim Fay is my personal superhero.
I've been holding off on posting about this because I didn't want to jinx us, but I think it's safe. After a few days of implementing the Love and Logic parenting style that we started to learn last week, I am ready to kiss Jim Fay, the Love and Logic founder. Quite frankly, the man is a genius.
We went to the first class of the three-week series on Thursday. On Saturday, L was acting up a bit. I decided to try the "uh-oh, time for a little bedroom time, this is so sad," technique.
The first time, he cried so hard that we had to keep starting over. Eventually, he calmed himself down enough to come out and he said, "Okay, Mommy, I sowwy."
The second time, he cried so hard that he threw up in his lap. (But really, this wouldn't be a post about L without vomit. True?)
But the third time was quite different. I asked him to clean up his books. He told me no. I began the sing-song (because when you sing, you can't yell) "Uh-oh...." and he picked up his book, put it away, and walked straight to his room. After a few minutes when I went to get him, he said, "I ready to make a good choice now."
And by the time we got around to time number four, all I had to say was "Uh-" and he said, "Sowwy, Mommy. Sowwy," and did exactly what I had asked him to do.
I tried some other techniques during our trip to the supermarket today and for the first time in months, grocery shopping with L was downright enjoyable.
Between the new L and the fact that we got rid of our significantly under-exercised 100-pound Rottweiler yesterday, this house is....dare I say it? Peaceful.
If you have a child, work with children, or hell, are considering maybe giving birth one day, run...do not walk...to the nearest Love and Logic conference.
Note: I am not being endorsed by the Love and Logic founders or anyone affiliated with their company. I just wanted other mommies to know about this before they feel the need to buy stock in pumpkin beer or Xanax. Just sayin'.
We went to the first class of the three-week series on Thursday. On Saturday, L was acting up a bit. I decided to try the "uh-oh, time for a little bedroom time, this is so sad," technique.
The first time, he cried so hard that we had to keep starting over. Eventually, he calmed himself down enough to come out and he said, "Okay, Mommy, I sowwy."
The second time, he cried so hard that he threw up in his lap. (But really, this wouldn't be a post about L without vomit. True?)
But the third time was quite different. I asked him to clean up his books. He told me no. I began the sing-song (because when you sing, you can't yell) "Uh-oh...." and he picked up his book, put it away, and walked straight to his room. After a few minutes when I went to get him, he said, "I ready to make a good choice now."
And by the time we got around to time number four, all I had to say was "Uh-" and he said, "Sowwy, Mommy. Sowwy," and did exactly what I had asked him to do.
I tried some other techniques during our trip to the supermarket today and for the first time in months, grocery shopping with L was downright enjoyable.
Between the new L and the fact that we got rid of our significantly under-exercised 100-pound Rottweiler yesterday, this house is....dare I say it? Peaceful.
If you have a child, work with children, or hell, are considering maybe giving birth one day, run...do not walk...to the nearest Love and Logic conference.
Note: I am not being endorsed by the Love and Logic founders or anyone affiliated with their company. I just wanted other mommies to know about this before they feel the need to buy stock in pumpkin beer or Xanax. Just sayin'.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Eureka!
Last night, B and I went to week one of the most amazing three-week parenting workshop. You might have heard of it...it's called Love and Logic. One of the main ideas is that you give your kids empathy ("This is such a bummer," "Oh man,") while staying calm and providing consistent and meaningful consequences.
B and I just kept looking at each other and smiling and nodding throughout the two and a half hours, which we expected to be painful, but really flew by. I am actually looking forward to L's next meltdown so I can start practicing some of the techniques they taught. We talked about it a lot last night. We even started paring down the toys to keep out due to the instructor's encouragement to rotate the toys rather than giving your child a virtual Toys R Us to overwhelm them. We went to bed excited and hopeful.
And then, in the middle of the night, it hit me. I could use some of the information from the workshop for my "track star," the kid who is so out of control that he is running the halls most of the day. When he's in the classroom, he's screaming out, often using profanity. I had been thinking that there had to be a way to take this information and modify it for him. I seriously had an epiphany that woke me up last night and had me tossing and turning ever since. (Hence the 6 am, post-shower post.)
The teacher told a story last night about a parent who kept getting phone calls from the child's school about his negative behavior. The mom told him that she had to spend twenty minutes discussing his behavior with his teacher. And what a bummer it was that that was the time that she had alotted to pick up the dog poop during the day, so he was going to have to go out there and do it.
My epiphany in the middle of the night was about a similar strategy. I am going to tell this child (or better yet, possibly have our resource officer tell him) that the law says that students have to do a certain amount of schoolwork per day. Each time he runs out of the classroom or is asked to leave the classroom because of profanity, we have to send home X number of math problems (to this kid, a fate worse than death). What a bummer.
His parents are very supportive. In fact, when he got out-of-school suspension this year, his dad printed out pages upon pages of math problems for him to do while he was at home. He was extremely relieved to be at school that day, which was a change from his usual attitude. So I know they will be all about carrying this over at home, which obviously is crucial.
Will it work? If it does, I will forgive the teacher for encouraging us to completely unplug from all screen time all week next week. Sigh.
B and I just kept looking at each other and smiling and nodding throughout the two and a half hours, which we expected to be painful, but really flew by. I am actually looking forward to L's next meltdown so I can start practicing some of the techniques they taught. We talked about it a lot last night. We even started paring down the toys to keep out due to the instructor's encouragement to rotate the toys rather than giving your child a virtual Toys R Us to overwhelm them. We went to bed excited and hopeful.
And then, in the middle of the night, it hit me. I could use some of the information from the workshop for my "track star," the kid who is so out of control that he is running the halls most of the day. When he's in the classroom, he's screaming out, often using profanity. I had been thinking that there had to be a way to take this information and modify it for him. I seriously had an epiphany that woke me up last night and had me tossing and turning ever since. (Hence the 6 am, post-shower post.)
The teacher told a story last night about a parent who kept getting phone calls from the child's school about his negative behavior. The mom told him that she had to spend twenty minutes discussing his behavior with his teacher. And what a bummer it was that that was the time that she had alotted to pick up the dog poop during the day, so he was going to have to go out there and do it.
My epiphany in the middle of the night was about a similar strategy. I am going to tell this child (or better yet, possibly have our resource officer tell him) that the law says that students have to do a certain amount of schoolwork per day. Each time he runs out of the classroom or is asked to leave the classroom because of profanity, we have to send home X number of math problems (to this kid, a fate worse than death). What a bummer.
His parents are very supportive. In fact, when he got out-of-school suspension this year, his dad printed out pages upon pages of math problems for him to do while he was at home. He was extremely relieved to be at school that day, which was a change from his usual attitude. So I know they will be all about carrying this over at home, which obviously is crucial.
Will it work? If it does, I will forgive the teacher for encouraging us to completely unplug from all screen time all week next week. Sigh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)