Thursday, April 30, 2009

The New Me.

Being the mommy to three little miracles has turned me into something I didn't forsee.

A yeller.

Now, I'm not talking like, yelling just for yelling's sake, but nonetheless, I yell more.

"Why?" you ask.

Because, when I'm chained to the couch, feeding Oliver, Henry and Spencer kind of... go nutso. It's funny. I have tried book reading, and whatnot, but they are determined. They know I'm stuck, and they take advantage.

Take today for example:

I was nursing (duh) and I see Henry streak from the kitchen and down the hall. I caught a glimpse of a VERY large stack of paper plates in his hand as he ran. I sighed. I knew it would be bad.

So, I say, loudly, (because he's all the way in his room) "HENRY! Bring those back now!"

Nothing. Ignored.

LOUDER, "HENRY! NOW!"

Nope. Nada.

Yelling. "HENRY GET YOUR TUSHIE OUT HERE NOW OR YOU'RE GOING ON TIME OUT!"

And viola. He appears. Plates confiscated. Problem solved.

See? So, since I can't get them to listen to me, they run away, I have to yell. I can't go to them, get down on their level, blah blah blah (don't tell Supernanny I "blah blah blah'ed" her methods, okay?). I can either ignore the bad behavior entirely, or yell.

So, I yell.

Maybe, I'll be able to figure out a better way to keep them from getting into stuff when I'm indisposed... then I won't have to yell.

Sigh.

7 comments:

Jauna said...

You figure it out and let me know..... though just wait for Oliver to be mobile and you'll have 3 to get after he'll quickly join in all the "fun". And just wait Henry will be sending Spencer and Oliver to do the dirty work of sneaking stuff... it is loads of fun...

The Nelsen Family: said...

I'm sorry! That sounds so familiar...but I've only got two, so I'm just kind of lame. Good luck, I know this first part is a little difficult.

Tubbs Family said...

Don't worry! I'm 8 months into nursing my 3rd. At first, it is exactly how you describe. The others take advantage of mom being tied down. But now that I don't nurse as often, the yelling has gotten less. Reading never worked because the baby would quit nursing to see the book and turning on the TV did the same. My friend has a special box of toys that only comes out when she nursed to keep the other entertained. I would pull out some stickers, crayons, and a snack and set them at the table. That helped too. Hang in there, it gets easier...in some ways! Okay, and harder in others...lets not go there :-)

Unknown said...

Remember how I yelled at Joshua and he was sitting in my lap? Yea, I've already lost it.

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BloggingBills said...

Well baby, one thing that used to work with the other kids when I was tied up with a newborn was to get them involved in a project of sorts before I got stuck with baby. So you break out the playdough or legos or something and get it all set up and then they can play with it only as you feed little Ollie.

It doesn't work all the time, but sometimes pre-planning saves yelling.

Another thing that might work is the 'you get to choose' idea. Give them a choice of 2, maybe 3, but certainly no more than that activities that they ONLY get to do when you are nursing. Make it a huge deal and then let them choose only one. Since you only feed Ollie for about 15 minutes at a time you can usually hold their attention that long (maybe).

As it gets warmer and if you aren't too squeamish, you can go outside, plop you and jr. in a lawn chair (and your nursing thingie) and let them play on the playground with promises of cold, sugary treats at the end of Olliver's meal if they stay on the playground, etc. etc. etc.

Be ruthless about enforcing consequences. "Oh, I am so sorry you made that choice! Now you won't be able to ...... whatever."

It's love and logic baby. Don't gag, it does work most of the time.

Love ya,
MA

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