Thursday, July 14, 2011

Bribing and Threatening... works on kids AND adults!?

So some might think I'm a terrible mother for saying that bribery and threatening are some parenting techniques that I use... They might seem extreme, but I tell you they get results!

ME: If you finish all your peas and watermelon you can have pudding!!
Bubba: I can?
ME: Yessiree! Look your brother is already eating his pudding because he finished all of his...
Bubba: I don't want my peas... can I have pudding? Ceej is done with his pudding.... he doesn't want it can I have it?
ME: You can have it when you finish your peas and watermelon........
Bubba: But Ceej doesn't want it can I have it please?
ME: If you don't finish your peas and watermelon in 10 minutes I am going to eat the pudding.....
Bubba: (scarfing down his peas and watermelon......) Can I have the pudding now?

I guess you could call it motivation too... it works for nap-time and bedtime too...

ME: It's time for bed!
Bubba: But I don't want to go to bed?! (whimpering and crying....)
ME: You can either go straight to bed... or we can read stories! Which one would you prefer:
Bubba: Reading stories....

I really find that giving kids 2 choices that still result in what you need... seems to work!
Example:
1.You can either go potty by yourself... or 2. Mommy will come in there and sit you on the potty... Either way they're still going to the potty whether you have to help... or on their own. And most of the time around here my almost 3 year old wants to do it himself!



It kind of reminds me of a show I've been watching lately too.... CLEAN HOUSE! OMG its sooo awesome. We have it on our instant netflix (there will be another post soon about netflix... I'm not too happy at the moment...) and I've been watching it during the boys nap times :) Basically its like hoarders meets HGTV!


baker's rack a few years ago

baker's rack now




















Here's my baker's rack... JDub LOATHES this thing still... I've tried to clear out the clutter but it just keeps coming back! I think if I could get some cute containers it could look really good......

Back to Clean House! These people have waaay too much "clutter" as they like to call it on the show. They come in.... make them have a huge yard sale, the proceeds they make from the sale go toward the renovating and decorating of the rooms that had all the clutter! They usually pick around 3 rooms in each house. But it is so funny the stuff these people want to hold on to. I mean I am a clothes horse, I totally admit it. I have way more clothes than JDub. I have maternity clothes... my in-between clothes (before and after baby when I hadn't shed all the "baby weight") I have my lounge wear, work-out wear, dressy clothes (from when I worked at an office) dresses for weddings... its alot. And now that I've started my re-fashioning I want to hold onto things even more! But some of these people still have tags on stuff.... they've been buried under piles of stuff for years and yet they want to hold on to it! If they would clean up my house and make it all nice and new I'd be piling up all sorts of stuff to get rid of! JDub said there's no way I could sign us up for one of those shows though..... he's such a party-pooper!

What the show ends up doing it bribing them!! They say "OK!.... if you get rid of 2 pieces of clothing for every 1 that you keep.......... we'll gift you new bedroom furniture?!" Most of these people haven't slept in their own bed for years b/c of all the clutter..... or their spouse is sleeping in a different room cause there is no room for them! You'd think it would be a no-brainer but they fight it til the end. They finally give in though. Its always worth it too.

Now while I don't think I have that much clutter...... I know there's plenty I could get rid of. So that's what I've been doing?! I've cleaned out the office a little bit, and some random clothes I have stuffed in closets around the house (yes my clothes are in not only in my room but also the boys' rooms, the hall closet, and in storage!?) and some old books... So far here's my nice stash going to goodwill at some point!
Now if only I had some sort of reward for my efforts.... j/k! Donating to Goodwill is a good cause :) After all most of this stuff has been sitting around for years.... Hopefully someone will put it to good use.

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About Me

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I stay with my children day in and day out. It's a 24/7 job. They are my life... along with my husband and kitty-cat! We have a simple life, and owe it all to God! I'm just trying to stay sane and keep my typing skills up to par.... hope you enjoy my rants :)