Parenting....advice?

No. I am not an expert.

No. I am not actually going to give advice...because I am not on the other side yet, I haven't finished parenting, I can not give advice.

However, I am going to share a few things I'm trying around here...in hopes to gain some prayers that it works!

The other day one of my children had the nerve to tell me they weren't going to unload the dishwasher because "they are the only one who does it"

Okay. The other day was yesterday. Monday. and it was the Mondayist Monday I've had in a while, and I feel I have to set the stage for how my Monday was for you to understand why this comment..almost had me walking out the door.

It started at the dentist trying to get my crown on for the third time...yes you read about that back in Feb. I've been dealing with this tooth problem since then. So anyway mid procedure at the dentist, the fire alarm goes off. "You've got to be kidding me" I say with the dental assistant's hand in my mouth. We figure out its not a drill and we have to evacuate. There is smoke in the hallway. I had AB with me, and my only thought was get him out...especially after I saw the smoke. Well its 50 degrees outside so I send him to the car as you know he is in shorts, teeshirt and sandals...because its 50 degrees. (Thanks to Greer at the dentist office for going back and getting my purse.) Oh by the way this was mid procedure so I had a crown just sitting on my tooth and a cotton in my mouth holding it there as we wait for firefighters to clear the building. They finally do and we get to go back in...and my crown fits! Perfect this time! (I feel this goes back to the idea of God giving us a crown...we have to go through some stuff that isn't so fun before we get our crown of Jewels from the master himself.)

Then AB and I get back home and start working on finishing his schoolwork for the day. Up until this point, he had worked really well and gotten most of the things done...he had not even half a lesson left...when he lost it or rather we lost it. He didn't understand something, and he immediately gets angry. This is something I'm starting to notice as we are homeschooling, thankfully we are together going through this learning process. Anyway, a fight between us starts, because well, we are both stubborn and want our own ways. #workinprogress Thankfully we worked through it and finished the lesson. :)

We head off to hockey, EJ falls asleep in the car...at 5 in the afternoon...not usually a good thing, but first day back from spring break to preschool so I figure she is just tired. We get to hockey. I get her walked in to the rink, we sit down to snuggle, and I can't even get her settled in my lap when she vomits all over me. Okay, well thankfully post of it was into my hand, but I still got it on my sweater and my shirt so I couldn't really cover it up...it was awful the whole 2 hours we were at the rink...

Then said child makes the comment....I'm the only one who does it so I'm not going to. WHAT?!

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY THINGS MOM DOES THAT NO ONE ELSE DOES?! Ohh..man I thought about leaving, like getting in the car and going, walking out the door, I'm done. See how well y'all can get along with out mom doing the things that only mom does. But I didn't...because...love. I love them and I couldn't leave them. Just thought about it...

But it did also change something in me...I've been busting my bottom around here lately just trying to stay a float. This isn't happening anymore. Momma needs help. So welcome in the chore station!

I'm not quite happy with the way it looks...and EJ won't really be able to see hers, So I'll have to be moving her's back and forth. BUT at least mom and dad can see it and be reminded to put the tickets in the jars. The kids will earn tickets for daily activities and chores. Those tickets can be redeemed for screen time or money. I'm getting tired of just letting them get what they want when they want it so they can start earning some cash and using that to buy the wants...not the needs. The middle sign is the parent's rights...basically states we can give or take away tickets based on behavior. We start tomorrow. Pray for us please.