Just another phase

I have been witness to a lot of phases for Trevor. Sleeping a LOT, not a lot of sleeping. Eating anything, or eating practically nothing. Wanting to do what we ask, and disagreeing with everything we ask.

So for all you moms out there, as I'm sure you know already, I do have a lot of thoughts on making sure that your kid stays as consistent as he/she can because you are staying consistent. Through various shows like Dr. Phil or the multitude of Nanny shows, I have learned that consistency is key. I have also learned that talking about expectations beforehand and after activities also helps them with their behavior. They need to be able to predict what will happen if they behave any way.

The reason I'm writing this, is more as a reminder to myself. Because I think a lot of the little setbacks Trevor has had in his behavior are due to the lack of routine that he has in the summer (in addition to the vacations/trips we have been taking).

What is very nice to see though, is his continual development with language and understanding. No matter how frustrating. He now really likes to argue his way out of doing something, or argue the reasoning behind why he should or shouldn't do something. It's no wonder he has a stubborn streak in him, as he must have gotten it from a little on both sides of the gene pool.

The most recent occurrence was yesterday at the mall. We were in a place that has a little play area for kids. Before we went there, I explained both the schedule of what we were going to do at the mall, as well as if he was a good listener and behaved, he would get a treat at the end. (in this case a decaf caramel cooler from Caribou Coffee - yum for mom too!)

The schedule worked out nicely. He was very well behaved at the one store I had to go to, and before we entered the play place, I again explained to him that he needed to be gentle with the kids, and keep his hands to himself. He lasted about 45 minutes. Another mom brought him over to me (because I couldn't see him on the other side of the area) and told me he was not being nice to the other kids.

While in some situations, he gets a warning, I think he now depends on this "warning" before he really gets into shape. And in my eyes, hitting does not deserve a warning. Things like listening and doing what I ask are something to get warnings about. So when I told him we were leaving, he immediately tried to throw a fit saying that we were supposed to get coffee, and he wanted to stay, etc. After about 3 minutes of this, he finally gave in, actually helped me put his sandals on, and walked out with me to the car peacefully.

When we got back into the car, I talked to him again, saying that he did not behave with the other kids at the play place. If he ever hits, pushes, or hurts his friends, we will leave. I know we dealt with this earlier this year, and if I remember correctly, after just a few times of knowing what was coming if he did hit, you could see him restraining himself when he wanted to grab a kid.

So anyway....that's my lesson for myself next time. Be consistent and immediate. That's all for today!