Last night Miranda was put to bed at 7:15pm with no tub beforehand. Why? Well, I'll tell you...
After dinner, we were cleaning up around the house as usual. Sometimes we just pick up her toys and toss them somewhere out of the way and sometimes, like last night, I decide we need to organize them and put them away in their proper places. Her puzzle box was a wreck, all the pieces mixed together and not put away, so I just dumped the whole thing and started to put the puzzles all back together. I told Miranda "Please come help Mommy put these puzzles together so that we can put them away." She seemed enthusiastic about it but didn't come over and help. Just prior to me dumping my puzzles I had a calm discussion about how we color only on paper that Mommy approves and not in our reading books or on our toys. That was the end of the discussion in my mind though, but apparently not hers because she went and grabbed some paper to color on. I told Miranda "I know you want to color right now but it's time to help Mommy pick up the puzzles." She decided to ignore me. So, I gave her a warning. "Miranda, either you come help me pick up these puzzles or go sit in time out." She continued to ignore me. So I picked her up and put her in time out. As I sat her there, I said "You're in time out because you didn't listen to Mommy when I asked you to help pick up your puzzles." She sits quietly for about a minute and then she starts to sing. I tell her sternly "Miranda, we do not sing in time out." She stops for about 20 seconds then continues to sing. Adam and I go back and forth for a while telling her to not sing while she is time out. She begins to sing quieter until she's just whispering. So, Adam gives her a final warning that if she continues to sing in time out, she will go straight to bed without a story or anything. She sings... So, Adam brings her upstairs, brushes her teeth and wipes her down (I asked him to since she really did need a bath from playing outside all day) and puts her straight to bed. He did talk to her about why she went straight to bed and that she needs to listen next time. I went up there afterwords and did the same thing. She tells me the reasons why she went into time out and why she went to bed. The last thing she says to me as I'm leaving the room is "I'm sorry I didn't listen Mommy. I will listen next time." I told her thank you and that I love her but that she still had to go to sleep.
I supported my husband's punishment, but I did think it was a little harsh. She's no worse for wear this morning and she is being very well-behaved, which she usually is. Lately when she does something I ask her too she loves to announce to me "Mommy! I'm listening!" It's very sweet. She also likes to announce when the puppy is listening.
What do you think though? Was that a harsh punishment for a not so harsh crime?
I HONESTLY DON'T THINK THAT IT WAS TO HARSH..... YOU GAVE HER PLENTY OF WARNINGS AND SHE DIDNT OBAY WHAT YOU WERE ASKING HER TO STOP DOING.... I WOULD'VE DONE THE SAME THING. I HAVE VERY STRICT RULES AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF NOT ONLY RYLAN BUT VICTORIA.... I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE RULES AND CONSEQUENCES IT TEACHES KIDS RESPECT..... WAY TO GO ADAM FOR KEEPING THE PUNISHMENT AND FOLLOWING THRU, AND WAY TO GO ANJIE FOR SUPPORTING HIM!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI probably wouldn't have been upset about her singing in time out. She sat in time out the way you asked her to. My general rule is as long as they stay put and aren't disruptive/disrespectful, I leave them alone for the amount of time we've set.
ReplyDeleteBut I do agree that once Adam threw down the gauntlet, you had to run with it. Arguing with him or blowing off his punishment would've set a bad example.