We're Trying a New Tactic Out

We've found that our boys sometimes like the time-out chair. Daddy's been reading and listening to pod casts on parenting.

We cleared off the landing. Instead of separating the kids when they get in trouble, we put them together. They got in the fight, they have to figure out how to fix it. We cleared off the landing and that is where they go.

Does it work? We're not sure yet. We do hear them discussing how they are going to fix their problem.

For instance: The boys like to kick one another. It not out of anger, just fun for them until someone gets hurt. It went too far, so they went on the landing to discuss what they were going to do instead of kick one another. I wasn't sure if Isaak was able to discuss too much; because of his age. Guess what? He did. He said, "Mica instead of kicking one another we could kick a ball." That's progress, right?

This is what we are trying out. We're new to this way of discipline. The goal is for them to solve their own problems. It's that or talking to them with analogies that they can understand.

I do have to say that they after trying this, they do seem to work better with one another sometimes.

Yesterday Mica tried to overplay Isaak. He only wanted Isaak to put his new airplane together according to the instructions. I took Mica aside and said, "Mica do you remember when Mommy taught you how to put puzzles together?" He shook his head. I said, "I told you to put all the outside pieces together first. Then the middle ones. This made it easy to put together. After many times of putting it together you didn't do it the way Mommy told you." He shook his head. I said, "Directions are there to help you. Just like Mommy helped you with puzzles. After you know how to put something together, you can or Isaak can put it together any way you/he likes. Let Isaak put the airplane together the way he wants to." He seemed to get it.