Unintended Consequences
Otto and Etta love each other. Really, they do. But sometimes that’s hard to remember when they’re having one of their epic fights …
Read more
kids and arguing
How Old is that Dog Poop, Anyway??
Dog poop. It’s one of the less rewarding aspects of dog ownership. In our house, my two kids take turns scooping. And of course, being siblings, they argue. Or at least, they used to …
Not about whose turn it was that day (we keep track of that with my handy dandy chore charts–more on chore charts coming soon!) No, they used to argue about which piles of poop were OLD, and therefore, their sibling’s responsibility.
Read more
Stop Saying STOP!
This particular battle, like the road to hell, started with the best of intentions. I wanted the kids to stand up for themselves and learn to resolve their own arguments. “If Otto is doing something you don’t like,” I repeatedly coached 7-year old Etta, when she ran to me with a complaint, “tell him so. Ask him to stop.” I would smugly turn back to the dishes, congratulating myself on my astute parenting. I was the kind of smart, in-the-know mom who avoided becoming the kids’ referee. Pretty darn brilliant of me.
Read more