Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Lack of sleep and back chat ...

Don't make me a happy camper!!

The kids are totally out of sync with the change of time zones ... Saturday morning they were both up at 4.30am, Sunday morning Aaron was up and going at 4am, Monday morning Aaron at 3am (what on earth!) and Maddison at 5.30am. Yawn Yawn Yawn.

Yesterday they both had a sleep in the morning, Aaron went to school and they were both in bed and asleep by 8am :-) ... but this morning Aaron came trotting in with his pillow at 5.30am (suppose that's better than 3am) and Maddison woke at 6.30am.

Anyway ... how do you stop back chat? Aaron has been absolutely shocking the last few weeks and if it's possible he's got even worse since we've got home. Both Lyndon and I tell him not to speak to us like that and today he's started telling me not to talk like that!! Hello! (No I didn't laugh I was cross because it was at the end of a long list of things he'd been telling me that was frustrating me!)

He's been so contrary, for example, on Friday when we left for the airport he didn't want to go in the car he wanted to go on a plane! So we explained we were taking the car so we could get to the plane!!! Then when we go to board the plane he doesn't want to go on the plane he wants to go in the car! Grrrrr. Ask him what he wants for breakfast and he'll tell you and then when he gets it he wants the opposite. (I make him eat it anyway ... Beware mean mother at work!!)

So any suggestions on how to stop the contrary back chat, or do I just ignore it and let it run its course? (and go crazy in the meantime!)

I've lost my scrapping mojo as well ... that just can't happen because I am supposed to be working on the December kit for Scrap-n-Crop and I just can't settle to anything! I just sit shuffling papers and photos ... might have to go and have another wee taste of my dark peppermint chocolate hehehee. I'll do a blog post of our 2nd week in NZ soon :-)

2 comments:

Penny said...

Ack! That timer on your sidebar is just a tad stressful!!!!

Hmmm back chat. Not sure I have the answer. Tim's been put in time out for it a bit. Also I tell him "I'm the boss around here" which sometimes works! LOL!

Hope the mojo comes back soon - I'm sure some sleep wouldn't hurt!

Darla said...

We discovered a "new" way of counting unacceptable behavior when we read "1-2-3 Magic". The author gives us permission (if I may) to count any behavior we don't like. Even if it is just because it is annoying us, like whining. Because if we don't count it, we'll end up blowing our top or something. So when the kids backtalk, whine, cry for no reason (ie, tantrum), hit...I count them. "Jonathan, that's 1. When I get to 3, you have a time out in your room." I encourage you to get the book. (Amazon has it, I can email you a link if you'd like. Let me know.) I am by no means perfected, but the book has helped immensely! When I would normally have blown my top, I am now calmly counting and sending kids to time outs where they regroup and I calm down. Good luck!