It's hard to ignore my children's behavior when we are with each other 24/7 during the lovely summer months. Not that I don't enjoy this extra time with them, I do!
However, you definitely start to learn more about their attitudes, personality, and behaviors that weren't so apparent during the school year.
I've had a pretty hard time this summer if I can be honest. Wanting to break down and cry some days, but mostly, just left dumbfounded and drained of resources when time outs and reward charts don't work.
One day, I found myself with no other consequences left to offer my child who was threatening to leave the house and break my things. He didn't care about going on timeout, didn't care about a spank, that I would take away his birthday party, or a star form his chart. He refused to go to his room and wasn't phased by me at all.
So all I could do to move on with the day was to take him out to the garden where I had planned to work. I told him to put some gloves on and meet me at my garden. He refused of course, so I decided I just needed to move on and catch a breather with my plants. Curiosity must have struck him because he joined me shortly after. With a few extra complaints to drain (that I paid no attention to) he eventually sucked it up and asked with a positive attitude if he could help me. MUSIC TO MY EARS.
I had him pull up carrots and he found frogs. At the end of our time together...HE HUGGED ME! Who is this child that was just screaming at me and threatening to leave the family?!
That was my AH-HA moment. This angry little boy just needed some one on one time with me. Which is difficult when you have siblings and have to share your parents' attention. I know!
So as a reminder, if your children are extra sensitive and tantrumy, more so than usual, offer a moment of one on one time. It may just be the solution! All the stars on a reward chart in the world can't replace that.
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