0 comment Saturday, June 14, 2014 | admin
So, we went supermarket shopping as a family on Saturday. The magazine racks are the first place in the store we go. I calmly explained to son that he wasn't getting a magazine this week and why (see previous post). I said I was sorry about it, but I hoped that soon he would make better choices about his behaviour.
He reeeeaaallly didn't like it. His mood changed instantly from light to dark. His face changed to anger, his whole physical demeanor became insolent. He started picking at things around him, kicking at them and then looking at me for a reaction. I didn't react. The plan had been that if he really kicked off I would take him back to the car and leave him there, but he just remained grumpy for the rest of the shop, refusing to speak to me or his dad! As a consequence of not speaking to us he couldn't tell us what fruit juice he wanted or what pudding and so - oh dear! - he had neither!
Later, much later, after lunch he came out of his mood and apologised to me for his behaviour. We had a chat and a cuddle and I reiterated why he didn't get a magazine, and what it is about his behaviour that needs to change. He seemed to understand. We'll see.
On a positive note Saturdays have been working better recently because the afternoons have been designated 'free time'! Previously on Saturdays we would spend the whole day together, with husband and I only getting a break to do what we wanted/needed to do when the kids got their hour on the DS and the wii. I have to admit that by the evening I was a bit tired of the kids and felt very drained! Now we have the morning together, eat lunch as a family and then it's see ya! do what ya like! until we all get together at teatime again and spend the evening watching family TV.
The relief of being able to relax on Saturday afternoons again is immense! I was finding weekends exhausting and used to dread them. Although, of course, I feel under even more pressure to have quality family time on Sunday afternoons! Ah well.
He reeeeaaallly didn't like it. His mood changed instantly from light to dark. His face changed to anger, his whole physical demeanor became insolent. He started picking at things around him, kicking at them and then looking at me for a reaction. I didn't react. The plan had been that if he really kicked off I would take him back to the car and leave him there, but he just remained grumpy for the rest of the shop, refusing to speak to me or his dad! As a consequence of not speaking to us he couldn't tell us what fruit juice he wanted or what pudding and so - oh dear! - he had neither!
Later, much later, after lunch he came out of his mood and apologised to me for his behaviour. We had a chat and a cuddle and I reiterated why he didn't get a magazine, and what it is about his behaviour that needs to change. He seemed to understand. We'll see.
On a positive note Saturdays have been working better recently because the afternoons have been designated 'free time'! Previously on Saturdays we would spend the whole day together, with husband and I only getting a break to do what we wanted/needed to do when the kids got their hour on the DS and the wii. I have to admit that by the evening I was a bit tired of the kids and felt very drained! Now we have the morning together, eat lunch as a family and then it's see ya! do what ya like! until we all get together at teatime again and spend the evening watching family TV.
The relief of being able to relax on Saturday afternoons again is immense! I was finding weekends exhausting and used to dread them. Although, of course, I feel under even more pressure to have quality family time on Sunday afternoons! Ah well.