Thursday, September 10, 2009

The First Day of..........

My crazy, hectic (but wouldn't change it for the world) life......



That was the day, my 4th child.... my 1st daughter, came into our lives!!! That was the day when all sanity left my head (well not really... but it sounds good for effect)!!

It's funny how each of my children have their own unique personalities, quirks, good and bad moments and challenges. CJ and Ethan were pretty easy babies (well, except for the colic that Ethan had for 3 months), toddlers, kids etc... Angie has been somewhat easy, in that she was a fast talker, walker, learner and can do alot of stuff on her own pretty fast; which frees up a hand for me. AND THEN THERE'S JOSEPH....



Please don't get me wrong... I love my Joseph... as a matter of fact, I have always babied him a little more than I should... he was born early, was very sick in the NICU for 2 weeks, was a baby when we divorced (which I ALWAYS felt guilty about), has always been little and somewhat "behind" on his progress...so, I think I have always felt like I had to nurse and baby on him a little extra....and for that, I am paying for now!!
He is the MOST.STRONG-WILLED.CHILD in this world....believe me.... he fights me for anything I say or ask him to do...

Me: Joseph, pick-up the mess
Joseph: I didn't do it
Me: I didn't ask WHO did it
Joseph: well I am not cleaning what I didn't do
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Me: Joseph, go sit in time-out and don't get-up
...a little bit later (after he's been in time-out)
Me: Joseph, go put your stuff away and then you can go back and play
Joseph: No, you told me not to get up
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Me: Joseph, hold my hand while we cross the street
Joseph: No, I'll hold your arm
Me: No, hold my hand
Joseph: no, I'll hold your wrist
Me: NO, HOLD MY HAND
Joseph: No, I'll hold your finger...
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Do you get were I am coming from....??? Do you understand my frustrations and struggles with him...?
Yesterday we were in a band store, getting Ethan stuff, and Joseph grabs a kazoo off the counter (that didn't belong to us), puts it in his mouth and starts blowing on it...then puts it back in the box and walks away. The guy at the counter looks at me and says "well, now you have to buy it".... great, thanks!!

AND, then, I got him home (ready to pull his hair out--- and no, I didn't reall do it), opened his planner and found a note from his teacher "joseph was very talkative and silly in class today...couldn't settle him down".... great, thanks!!!

There are some times/days/moments where he is a little angel...and he always wants to love on me....and during those moments I am thankful.... but then I am just waiting for the next defiance...always waiting to pull my hair out... arrrgghhhh!!!

Any advice on dealing with a hard-headed, strong-willed child?

Check out more wrtiting fun at MamaKat's house!!! :)

9 comments:

April said...

No advice but GOOD LUCK!

~~Mel~~ said...

Boy does your Joseph sounds like my Riley lol. They also must be about the same age too.

Lately Riley's back talk and attitude have landed him a whole lot of time outs...which seem relatively effective...and if he doesn't want to come out of time out I just tell him...okay come out when you are ready...and I carry on. I know he's leaving himself there for attention and I figure if I don't give it to him he'll eventually wise up and stop playing 'that card'.

Yeah our kids go back much later here (canada) always after labour day.

supahmommy- somethin's wrong with that girl said...

Ughh.. dealing with the SAME thing here.. but in female form.

blahhh.. there are days i think i'm seriously going to get on a plane and just ride it somewhere.. not even in the seat.. on a wing.. that's how desperate I am after My E gives me a run for my money.

She's a wall that I continually am pounding my head into.. and having 2 addiitional ones to boot... makes it all the harder.

hang in there.. i've always been told.. this too shall pass..
that's always my go to answer when i have no advice..

we're in the same boat at least

ww. stop by!
d

Brandy said...

I wish I could give you some advice but I have my own defience problems here but if some one has some advice please please please share it with me!

Margaret aka: Fact Woman said...

The book, The Strong Willed Child by Dobson saved me with my middle 2 kids! Set limits, have consequences for bad behavior and rewards for good. It's so incredibly hard to be consistent but looking back it was well worth the effort to draw that line and do my best to enforce it. Good luck! Being a mom is the hardest yet most rewarding job in the world.

Los said...

Sounds like me ... stubborn and strong-willed. I like him!

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

He sounds like both of my boys, in different ways. I don't have advice, but I wish you well!
I have that same tiki fountain! haha

LinLori said...

Oh, i definitely get where you're coming from. My BreMonster is so strong willed, and she's my baby, and my last baby, so... Yeah, I have a tendency to baby her more than I should. Ohhhh, it's gonna be interesting as she gets older.

Good luck! And thanks for stopping by my blog!

Sandra said...

What an awesome cake!!! My boys do the SAME THING!!!