tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post4359140529362751764..comments2023-12-18T03:00:04.192-05:00Comments on The Concrete Gardener: A Month without work and the World is Still SpinningConcrete Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368862362127742038noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-78045428778830686482013-07-13T01:43:29.974-04:002013-07-13T01:43:29.974-04:00Thanks Darren for your comment. Poor Johanna- yeah...Thanks Darren for your comment. Poor Johanna- yeah Noah was a lot like that at the end of the trip. He even started to say he was tired occasionally, and "tired" is a word that is generally not allowed to be used in our household.<br /><br />I might write more about it, but with Noah we found that punishment and rewards- in our case time outs or getting stars/ice-cream for some days of goodness- weren't good in helping us deal with his anger. One problem is, usually if he was angry there was some reason (however seemingly irrational) and physically taking him to his room, kicking and screaming, left us both feeling terrible and did nothing to help his anger or even his ability to control it.<br /><br />The alternative has been to offer him some time by himself in a context he actually likes- playing on our ipod in his room, playing with play dough. He's still rude sometimes and violent sometimes, and maybe if it starts to affect how he interacts with people in a big way, we'll have to rethink. So I guess we're still just trying.Concrete Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368862362127742038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-6411525736566222002013-07-12T00:26:25.062-04:002013-07-12T00:26:25.062-04:00Although, I'm sure you had a great trip, there...Although, I'm sure you had a great trip, there is a kind of relief to coming home. Even for our short, two vacation, the kids were so rev'd up. They stayed up late practically every night. At the very end, Johanna was so wiped out she didn't even want to play in the pool. What kind of 8 year old doesn't want to go in a pool.<br /><br />Still I hear you about the differences you're seeing in your kids. Johanna and Emma are such different people. Johanna is such the little rule follower, and is so incredibly sensitive and temperamental at the same time. Emma on the other hand is a free spirit. Lately her thing is to try to kiss the boys at her preschool. Not sure what to make of that one. Anyway, we're all figuring this out as we go.<br /><br />For us the key areas of punishment for our kids have to do with the most extreme behavior and in trying to maintain basic civility. For example, No name calling or acting out violently. Most of the other stuff, we try to roll with.Darren Bhttp://www.momentarydelight.comnoreply@blogger.com