Consistency: Mom's Best Friend

There are few things more important to positive parenting then consistency. You can have great ideas or plans but unless you follow through, you aren't likely to get the desired results. Don't say it unless you mean it and don't make a threat you aren't willing to keep.

I always want my kids to eat everything on their plate and to at least try new foods before rejecting them. I also don't like having an argument over dinner and/or dessert. In my house for meal time there are two options, you eat everything and you get a treat or you don't finish your meal and you don't get a treat. I rarely make them eat something if they don't like it then they won't get a large amount on their plate.

The kids have a box where they store all the candy and treats they get for holidays and after they have completed dinner they get to sift through it and pick a treat or have something homemade if it's an option (once in a while I actually bake!!). I've had this rule since before B was born and it's been a long time since this was an issue. There is the odd time when my son who is a very slow eater just gives up and decides he doesn't want a treat. Or on the other end of the spectrum there's my daughter who will sit at the table and shake while eating to show her distaste but gets through it to earn her treat.

There's also been times that one doesn't earn a treat and the other one does...mainly B is on the losing end. The worst was when Easter marshmallow sugar concoctions on a stick were the treat and Bryce just didn't want to eat. I explained that if he didn't finish the dinner he wouldn't be getting his treat and he sat there while A got to eat hers. He was upset but the next day when it came time to eat he was the first done and earned his treat.

I think that one sticks out the most for me as this is the night the light when on for B.

B: Mommy, I ate all my food so I get the bunny, right?
Mommy: Yes, you ate it all so you get a treat!
B: I will eat every dinner now!

Not that he was telling the truth as there's still days when one of them doesn't finish but at least it's not a drawn out fight with tears or shouting. It's just a simple matter of one of them bringing their plate to mommy and saying they don't want a treat anyways, they know it will be there tomorrow!

Leave a comment...
Do you have a parenting story involving consistency working for you?

Mission Complete and Cupcake Tears

Drumroll please!! After all hope was lost and a few dozen emails begging the question 'seriously??'...we have found a nanny! The kids liked her instantly, she's young, speaks some French AND is going to college.

**INSERT HAPPY DANCE HERE**

She came for the interview around bedtime so during the interview I am also trying to put two kids to bed. I warned her that they use every excuse in the book and will come out at least a few times although my daughter, who is five, is really starting to enjoy sleep.

List of excuses:
- have to pee
- have to water plants outside
- have to wash faces
- have to poop
- have to get something to drink
- have to pee more
- hug and kiss
- stuffed animal

Okay, maybe they didn't use them all just last night, but you get the idea. So I decided to give them a chance...How about if you go to bed right now and stay in for the night then mommy will give you cupcakes and bananas for breakfast?!?  The cupcakes aren't frosted and just sitting there and need to be eaten anyway, so why not!

My daughter knows I have no issues listening to crying, screaming, stomping, shouting or any other general temper tantrum shenanigans they can come up with and she has lost many a reward that she goes right to sleep. My son on the other hand uses at least half of the excuses listed until just after 9.

My morning starts at 7:30am when my three year old climbs into my bed and rub his hands on my face and says 'good-morning, mommy'. What a way to start!! He's picking out his clothes while I wake up his sister, she would sleep 12 hours if we let her, who instantly is excited because she knows she getting a cupcake, YAY!!!!!

She comes bounding into the kitchen, dressed and hair brushed (this is quite a feat already) and waits for her cupcake and banana. My son, in the midst of trying to dress himself starts to get excited to until I remind him that he's not getting one. But why Momma???? I asked him what he was supposed to do to earn a cupcake and if he did it. He bows his head and says no and then the water works start...The tears, screaming, falling to the floor, all clothes come off and he's now a puddle on my floor. I told him he could have cereal and a banana but no cupcake.

When we finally made it to the car to drive to daycare and he's eating his banana, he asks if he can have a cupcake tomorrow morning if he stays in bed all night. Maybe the lesson has been learned today and we won't have to repeat it again tomorrow? Stay tuned!

Leave a comment!
What kind of excuses do your kids use to come out after being put to bed? 
What tricks do you use to keep them in their rooms?

Seriously?

Wow...Just wow. She wrote back..S finally sends me an email today! For accuracy, this is the EXACT wording of her email:

hey melissa sorry i didn't get back to u for a couple days we had 2 tke my mom to her specialist in london. i still want the job of course, just wanted to check in. So wat day did you want me to start? talk 2 u soon.

It actually hurt to type that. lol.

I haven't even been able to respond to this. I wonder if she'll call or follow up again??

Mission: Find a Nanny! Part 2

Got a new response to the ad and aside from the spelling mistakes and the fact that there was no resume I decided to email her back, she’s the second person to respond to the ad. I ask for a resume which she provided.

Doesn’t look too bad and no French but that’s going to be more her issue than the kids (since they are fluent, they use French to plot attacks on sitters or unsuspecting company).  I called ‘S’ to invite her for an interview later in the day. She says she’ll call me back in a few minutes and takes an hour to call (I checked the phone, I’m not exaggerating). So my mom, hubby, kids, 80lbs dog and I greet her when she arrives. She does well in the interview and my mom was very positive. I wasn’t sure, but after the past experiences maybe I’m just cautious. So we offer S the job on the phone and I tell her I’ll email her a wage offer. The next day I still haven’t heard from her by the time I’m done work so I call her, she’s busy but she’ll call me in an hour. 3 hours later I get a text saying she’s taking care of her mom and will check the email tonight. Finally I get an email response and S wants more money than I offered. That’s fine since I just want my kids to be cared for so I email that I agree to her terms and want to have S start Monday so that she can meet the kids and get used to the house with me there.

48 hours later I still haven’t heard anything.

Leave a comment - is there a time limit on a job offer???

Mission: Find a Nanny!

As my husband and I both work, we needed help with the kids for after-school. This should be easy right? Just ask around a little and maybe put up an ad or two and voila, we’d have Mary Poppins at our service.

My requirements were simple…available during 4-11 daily M-F, driver’s license, able to cook, cares about kids and French would be a plus. I should warn you I simplified it as my daughter is now 5 and we have gone through quite a few people that helped me learn what I don’t want: a wild bird hawk loose in the same room as a 1 year old (yes, seriously), someone who thinks she’s a better mother to my child than I am or someone who thinks that taking your child out of the city without your consent is fine.

So I asked around and there weren’t very many people who could suggest someone and an ad for Kijiji was created. I asked simply that the response included some qualifications and a resume.

The first response was from a girl who was going into University and was looking for some extra money and hours. So we emailed back and forth and she suggested that I call. When we spoke, she explained that she actually had night classes twice a week but other than that she was available. Okay – not ideal and not what I asked for but hey – if she’s awesome maybe we can work around the night school. I asked her to come for an interview and she agreed. Then emailed an hour later…She changed her mind and lives too far away.

Don’t you read the ad and determine where I live before you apply? Don’t you have the guts to say no when we are talking? Okay maybe I’m a little neurotic and she’s young.

Back to the drawing board.

Leave a comment with your worst or best babysitter/nanny experience.