The Battle

The Battle

It came down to it, everyone had hit there limit......after the dust settles you have to take a look back and find the lesson to learn.  Where is it breaking down, where is it not working and how can we change this??  Sean and I stayed up late and talked and talked some more trying to figure out this parenting stuff.  How can we regain our sweet little four year old and curb the monster of terror, whining, screaming and not listening.  

I don't know who it hurt more us or Cyrus but every single toy in sight got packed up and "given away" until someone could show us how he can behave.  As the dust settled the next morning and his toys were still away we talked about what happened, that we loved him but he needed to take control of his behavior and attitude.  Heavy stuff for a four year old right?!  

Cy and I worked together and made Cyrus's Be Good Chart.  There's a column for everyday of the week and a row for morning, morning playtime, lunch, afternoon playtime, dinner and bedtime.  On the outside of his chart we wrote down things that are expected of him or how he should act- no whining, screaming, listen the first time, be nice to his brother, pick up ect.  Depending on his behavior and actions he can either earn a smiley face or a check mark.

Overall its been going well, Cy has taken charge and even likes to draw in his own smiley faces.  Boys will be boys and he does get wound up, to a point you need to let kids be kids and get some of their energy out.  When its about to get to be too much or out of control he gets asked the question, Do you want a smiley face or a check mark?  

This weekend he re- earned his toys back and we re-claimed half of our living room.  It turned into a morning project but as his stuff returned it got organized!  We brought down a canvas organizer from the playroom and found a plastic crate for all the coloring books.  Everything was sorted and put away, well besides the piles that went upstairs to the playroom that's next weeks project- for now lets shut that door!

just some of the essentials potato heads, legos, toy story, action figures and cars- this kid really has WAY too much stuff!

Life will always have its battles, but I appreciate the calm after the storm.  After you feel bad for the breakdown you have to build everyone back up- look for the simple things that make you smile. 
Cy drawing those goofy smiley faces on his chart put a pretty big smile on my face.