Hi,
I was thinking maybe we could all put down resources etc we come across . Eg jade - you said some cards had arrived, were great , and best of all free. Interrested, even if too old for mine now....
I watched a film today with kids that was quite interesting. It was about the solar system and ecology. No talking in it but good music. Was free on love film. Called "Egon and Donci ". Good for starting a discussion, tho a bit old for my two, prob good for yours jade.
there is also a book called "come home moon" by nick warren on kindle. my two love it and they have learned about our solar system from it. Suitable for 2years plus, I'd say
I would also advise look at Osborne books " see inside your body" flap book. I'm medical and I find it a good basic book to introduce the body, and you can use it to talk further round things.
Arrow - re peppa etc I let them watch but we discuss . Eg daddy pig keeps putting chocolate cake into trolley and we say it is an occasional treat. We laugh how silly daddy pig is, and when peppa is naughty we say " that is not acceptable behaviour ".
I will keep my eye on topsy and tim
re discipline I use a version of supernanny. They are told
1 don't do x ( preferably with a bit of an explanation as to why, even if it is just that it is giving mummy a headache ). If they still do it...
2 don't do x or y will happen eg naughty step. If they still do it
3 the promised punishment will happen
I never say they won't get their story. My threat is to loose the right to PICK their story.
Naughty step they get usually far less than 4 mins as they don't need it. I go over to them and tell them to stand up. I sit on the steps and either say to them " you know why you were told to come here. Can you tell mummy ". Once they have told me i repeat what they have said and say " that was not acceptable behavior"
, if they are eg upset, I say " Mummy told you to come here because I asked you to do x and you didn't do it. That is not acceptable behaviour. ". I never tell them they are naughty.
i then ask for an apology if needed , or if eg for hitting sibling i make them go and apologise to the people affected. They then come back and I give them a big cuddle and tell them I still love them , I will always love them, but that was not acceptable behaviour. Please don't do it again.. Then we get on with whatever we were doing as if nothing has happened.
I also try and live by " do as you would be done to " I listen to what they are saying. If they interrupt when I am sleaking to someone else I say " mummy is talking to x just now. Can you tell me in a minute once I have finished please ". I then finish what I was saying ( or listen to what the other person was saying ) then turn to child and give them a cuddle and say " thankyou for waiting. Now can you tell me what you were wanting to say"
Like you jade, I'm not perfect nor are my kids. But we try our best. There are times I am tired and sore and snappy and get it wrong, and days when we all rub each other up the wrong way.
you know how it is.
jade - I'm glad I made such a positive change in your families lives. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to think I made a difference.
But you are the one who was open to the idea, thought about it then went with it. It is just brilliant that things are working out so well for you all.
X x
