The last couple of weeks I am positive my hair has gotten a tinge of gray and/or a bunch has fallen out. The twins will hit the 23 month mark in a week, but they are acting more and more like 2 year old everyday. They are both strong willed and stubborn, but not about the same things. They often do what I least expect them to do. Going on week number two of feeling like I can’t get my feet underneath me. Thankfully, God has taught me that when I feel crazy and out of control, it’s when I need to take a deep breath and evaluate WITH God what is really going on. I need to pray and seek wisdom from God who gives it abundantly when we ask. So, I have been praying and praying and praying some more. I have stepped back and looked at what is going on emotionally with myself and how I need to train my kids differently or creatively.
In regards to the twins I am learning that I need to step back and pick and choose my battles. I have also realized that I do not give my twins enough room or opportunity to let them explore. One of the things I want to do to help accomplish this is to make a few sensory boxes. Finding soft things, squishy things, slimy things, round, square, shiny, etc. will go into these boxes. It is winter time which is a fantastic time for sensory time. Winter doesn’t always allow us to go outside, but that doesn’t mean it keeps us from bringing the winter inside. I put snow in different size bowls, put cookie sheets under the bowls, give them spoons and other things to transfer the snow into and let them go to town. The great thing about snow is it’s perfectly edible and hydrating!
When Maddie is frustrated with handwriting, someone takes a toy, or something is not going the way she wants it to, she often freaks out and breaks out in a horrible fit of crying and whining. I have been praying for wisdom and insight into how to train her in this area of her life. I went to my go to parenting sight, Focus on the Family, for insight into how to deal with her outbursts. What I walked away from with was that I need to teach Maddie self-control. I need to teach her how to conduct herself when someone takes a toy, hits her, fidgeting at the table, or multiple other situations in life that she is going to need self-control.
Self-control fits very nicely in what I have recently been trying to teach her. Maddie and I have been talking about what it is to be a Godly role model. When she has wronged Titus or Naomi, I have her apologize for whatever she did or didn’t do to them, but I also have her apologize and ask forgiveness for not being a Godly role model to them as well.
I was also reminded today that parenting is not about going insane and letting my kids fry my brain and emotions until there is nothing left but a pool of mushy mommy with no stamina left to do anything. In these crazy times it’s about getting creative, not going insane!
What are some creative discipline ideas you have come up with to keep you from going insane?