Bribery works. I don't care what Super Nanny says. She doesn't have a defiant 4-year old who can withstand even the most skilled manipulation techniques or a screeching one year old. Plus my mom says it's o.k. and we all know that my mom's word=law.
I am currently reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books. Highly entertaining, btw. My kids' book fair didn't have the first book and I wanted to buy it so Alexander and Ben could read it. So I made a trip to Target. Of course we had to go to the toy aisle. Max, as usual, admired the Star Wars and Spiderman action figures. And then we saw it. We've never seen it before - half black, half blue & red Spiderman. I'm not going to lie folks - he was AWESOME! Max begged and pleaded. So we cut a deal - he keeps his room clean for a week, doesn't say the word "IDIOT!" for a week and goes to bed on his own for a week and he can have the toy. I know that's alot of things, but the kid already has 5 Spidermans - so it had to be a big sacrifice on his part.
Ian freaked out. "WE ALREADY HAVE A MILLION SPIDERMANS! AREN'T WE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY? blah, blah, blah...
I tell Ian I'll take it back but then I sic Max on him. Because I know the secret to Ian's heart - it's a 4 year old boy with big blue eyes and a dimple. And the cutest voice ever. It totally worked. Ian agreed to the terms and the Spiderman went on top of the fridge.
We are now into day 3 and everything is peachy. The room is clean. He is going to bed by himself! He did say "IDIOT!" once, but I gave him another chance because everyone knows it's hard to break bad habits. And let me just say that he has been more pleasant these last few days - like a different kid. Bribery works.
Even on a little tyke like Evan. Since he was about 8 months old, Evan has been doing the pterydactyl scream. It was cute the first few times. Now it is annoying, embarrasing and I really believe that one of these days every piece of glass in the vacinty will shatter as he screams. It's that bad.
The other day I had to go to JoAnn Fabrics to get some stuff for girl's camp (I was in charge of an activity that night). After being in there for 2 minutes the screaming begins. Then Evan starts flinging his shoes off. And throws the keys that I had given him to shut him up. Then chucks my cell phone at Max's head. If it wasn't happening to me it might be comical, because frankly I was getting my butt kicked by my one year old. And then out of the corner of my eye...tootsie pops! By the check out counter! I wasn't even ready to check out, but I purchased them and shoved one in Evan's screaming mouth. Instant silence. I was able to get the rest of my shopping done in peace and quiet.
I guess the moral of my story is that I will do whatever it takes. No matter the price (which may be hundreds of dollars in dental bills & therapy) but I am that desperate.
6 comments:
Next time I go ANYWHERE with you, I'm going to scream at the top of my lungs and hopefully you'll buy me a treat...
or punch you in the head.
I'm all for whatever works. Stuart and I both had some clear ideas of things we would and wouldn't do with Jack and much of that is already out the window!
I am nervous that your experience with Evan could be my future, as Jack is already a screamer. They are happy screams, but still loud. When I am shopping, employees come out from the back to see what baby is making all that noise.
I think your right that bribery works up to a point. But I also think that you can over do it. Your kids will get smart and figure out that if they act badly then mom will bribe them with something good. Then they have all the power, and that's a bad thing.
Also I love the Percy Jackson books. A totally fun, easy read. I liked the second one the best. The 4 one is supposed to come out next month.
You bribe your kids?!! How terrible......... : )
I had three girls that didn't scream. And I always knew if I ever had a boy, he would be a screamer. And sure enough..... somehow it seems worse coming from a boy. He doesn't do it anymore. When does Evan turn 2?
BL is a screamer as well. It's no where near as bad as it used to be and now when he starts up I tell him to go to his room until he's done. Then I don't have to hear it and get all stressed out by it. If we're out and about well... that's where things get sketchy. I try to keep a few tricks in my bag but lately I've realized I can leave the store for him to have a time out in the car. At least until it gets hot, then I'm seriously going to need a new idea.
Why is it when our kids are screaming there are NO other kids in the store screaming to offset the noise? I know there have to be other screamers out there. I'm mostly beyond the point of being embarrased by it. I don't really give a flip if rude people are annoyed by it. They will get over it. I'd rather do what's right for BL than appease some rude person.
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