All you mothers know what I'm talking about. "I'm going to count to three... 1... 2... 2 1/2..." Tonight I realized that there are three types of children, and you can tell what type they are by how they react to this parenting technique.
Type 1: This is the child that jumps to with a quivering lip by the time you say, "I'm going to count..." Jake was and still is this type of child, very sensitive to my disapproval and eager to obey and make amends.
Type 2: This is the child that doesn't react until number 1 or 2, but mostly because they aren't paying any attention. This would be Evie, so wrapped up in her own world that she isn't even aware she's getting in trouble half the time.
Type 3: This is the child that waits until you hit 3 because they are checking to see just how serious you are about whatever behavior you are trying to enforce. And then, once they see that you are indeed serious, they stand up and comply, but with a look that might as well say, "I am going to go take my shoes and put them in the closet... but only because I want to. Not because you told me to."
Go ahead, guess which one of my kids is this type.
Christmas Boot Camp 2012
12 years ago
2 comments:
How nice that you got one of each! Otherwise, you would have never known that 3rd type existed. I'm sure that's what you were thinking as you counted :)
The counting thing has never worked well for me. My girls must be type #4, who join in counting and continue to count to 4 and so on, and don't do what I asked. I have to use the method of "do this NOW" and then they seem to get it...at least some of the time.
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