Name (required):

  Expression ^{(Optional mood/title along with your name) Examples: (happy, sad, The Joyful, etc.) help)}

  E-mail address (optional):

* Type your message here:
>I did an introduction a couple of months ago but >haven’t posted since. I’ll try to post more often. >Just as a reminder I have 2 boys, Eric (8) and Noah >(5). > >I’ve read these forums for years and I’ve read >other parenting forums and blogs. I don’t really >post because I don’t have much to add, but this idea >of weekly or maintenance discipline has always >intrigued me. > >I think parents think about maintenance wrong. I’ve >heard 2 reasons for it that don’t make sense. I’m >going to propose a 3rd reason. > >Ive read on these forums people do it to remind the >child to behave. I think that’s a silly idea. >That’s like an adult getting monthly speeding >tickets. > >The second reason I’ve read is to review their >behavior every week and discipline for all the small >things. Discipline shouldn’t be delayed and who can >keep track of all the little infractions. > >The reason we started with Eric is attitude, >particularly an entitlement. > >My boys live a great life. They have loving parents >and family. Live in a beautiful home in a safe quiet >suburban neighborhood. Go to great a school. Have >healthy food. Play sports, travel, go to movies and >amusement parks. They have a room full of toys and a >closet full of nice name brand stylish clothes. > >They have chores and are held to high standards to >help keep them grounded and humble but they still have >it really good and the sense of entitlement and >snobbery creep in. > >Every parent has heard it. Give me, give me, give me. >Every time we go to the store or a family outing to a >museum or a sporting event, the begging starts. They >want a toy from the gift shop or a cookie from the >store bakery. Then pouting starts which is sometimes >followed by temper tantrums. > >Go on vacation and they suddenly forget how to act. >Rules are for home and why clean up a hotel room when >there’s a maid according to them. > >In their world, rules also don’t apply when at a >party. At restaurants, they don’t need to eat all >their food or stay in their seat. > >At home, why do yard work? After all, the neighbors >have a lawn service, why can’t we. The Johnson kids >up the street have a new PlayStation and, as Eric like >to say, every kid in his class has an iPhone and he >should too because he’s a big kid now. > >Budgets, chores, bedtimes, manners etc. are all mean >and unfair. Remember, it’s always someone else’s >job and kids deserve everything on a silver platter. > >Well, it’s hard to feel entitled when your bottom is >sore. It’s hard to be a snob when you were recently >crying like a baby. It’s hard to be a big kid when >you were standing bare bottom in front of mom the >previous night. > >Being spanked is a very humbling experience and maybe >in today’s cuddled cushy world kids need to be >humbled more often. > >Eric had his first maintenance Saturday morning. We >plan on either Friday night or Saturday mornings going >forward. Noah is still too young to be around all the >bad influences and hasn’t developed an attitude yet. > >We are a busy family, always on the go. We love to get >out and explore and have fun. We have a lot of fun >experiences with the boys. Maybe starting the weekend >off with a sore bottom will help ground Eric back to >reality and serve as a humbling moment. > >We’ll see how it goes!

Note: This forum is moderated -- new posts are not visible until approved.

Notice: Copies of your message may remain on this and other systems on internet. Please be respectful.