Gamechangers

My parenthood mantra is "it's just a phase" which I think describes it well although it's sad that sometimes the good bits are just phases as much as the bad bits.  Nothing ever stays the same for too long with children which is all part of the fun but every so often something comes along and changes the game.  For example when they start crawling (we're waiting for our son to master this one which will be great because he is so frustrated) or climbing out the cot.  Luckily we haven't got to the second one yet with my daughter and hopefully I haven't jinxed that!!

Our recent gamechangers are both with our 2 year old daughter who I think has had a growth spurt.  Our door handles seem to be quite high as she has been able to reach them in other houses for a while but not ours... Until now, she can open doors and let herself in and out and around the house, perhaps its time for more stair gates.  She has been pretty good but I can guarantee that she won't be in the same room when I get back if I go and do something now.  Yesterday when I was in the kitchen she went upstairs and got her brother a new bib because his was wet.  This was quite sweet really but reminded me even when I'm downstairs we must shut the stair gate at the top of the stairs and perhaps get one at the bottom now which we didn't need before because we could shut the doors on the front room!  I think we'll see how she gets on with this new "freedom" before we put gates on at the bottom too. 

The other game changer we've had with her is where we put her for "time out".  Our safe place to put her when she'd been naughty had been her cot as we'd tried the naughty step but she wouldn't sit still and there was no where else in the house to leave her.  This worked amazingly for us and didn't put her off going to bed for naps or bedtime as I think she knew the difference of going there.  But now if the threat is offered of her cot she's happy...! Obviously not the intended response!  This is because she's discovered what a great trampoline her bed is and if I'm not there she can jump around as much as she wants!  So the game is changed and the place has to change because she now sees it as a reward rather than being disciplined.  So I've started the naughty step which she is now sitting still on but doesn't seem that upset about sitting there unless I don't turn the light on.  And this is the thing when she went to her cot she understood and was sorry, she realised it was a consequence of her actions but on the step she's just not bothered.  She'll sit there for a long time (I used it as a chance to hang up the washing without any "help"!) and she said sorry then went back and did the thing that she was there for again! So we do it again and I ask if she understands and she then says "yes" and takes her punishment and when I come back I get those "I don't give a damn eyes" which I find just obnoxious! I could shout to make her understand but I don't want her to fear me, just respect our discipline and rules but I guess it's earned rather than automatic and we're playing the long game.  So I'll have to put up with that look for a lot longer but hopefully being consistent with rules and consequences we will get there eventually!!

I'm sure our next game changer will be our 9 month old soon moving which will be great not to have him so frustrated but mean a whole new world of "NO" and chasing round after someone who's bound to go in the opposite direction of his sister.  On the plus side it may help me lose the rest of the baby weight.