23 weeks pregnant, trying to get our current home ready to sell, cooking, cleaning, taking care of kiddos…stress is on the rise for all of the obvious reasons, but you know what’s stressing me out more than anything else lately?

the mean act.

why, oh why don’t kids just stay these sweet, innocent, little, pudgy balls of obedience?

they hit the terrible twos, the tempestuous threes…and all of a sudden every other word out of your mouth is, “TIME OUT!” “NOOOOOO!” “STOP!!!!” “I’M GOING TO SPANK YOUR BUM!” “DON”T YOU DARE HIT YOUR SISTER!” “SHHAAAAARRRRRRRE!!!!!!”

i feel as though i may go mad.

i act the other definition of mad like 84% of my day anymore.
boy is it taxing.

having an elementary ed degree has given me lots of great ideas as far as implementing behavior charts, plans, incentives, etc., and of course there’s pinterest these days…but this mama can’t even find time to just get to the dollar store for crying out loud to buy some stickers & poster board.
alas, as a trapped-in-the, er, stay-at-home-mom of two with one on the way, watching two extra kiddos daily, having a hubby who works a stressful, full-time job, allowing church/other activities to occupy nearly every evening/weekend…

i have fallen into the trap of using the mean act…

yelling, threatening, scolding, spanking, giving the look.

more than half of the time, i’m not even really mad or upset, but i know what they’re doing in those moments need to be addressed, and they need to be corrected, redirected…all that good stuff. unfortunately, i’m usually also doing 56 other things at the moment when the craziness strikes. in the midst of busyness and craziness…i often fail to take the time to do things “the right way,” and i put on my mean mask, shoot stern looks, threaten, yell, spank, or tote my three year old off to time out (which is probably the most effective, but used least b/c of being pregnant), and then disappointment sets in, i beat myself up, feel like a lousy mom…all that bad stuff.

so anyway, i’m going to really put my thinking cap on here and get myself out to buy behavior chart supplies even if it means going to the dreaded walmart at 10pm…and i’m going to bring peace back into discipline-land around here.

good-bye mean mask.

any of you in the same boat?

have you tried anything & it worked?!

oh btw…as i have taken 10 minutes to hammer this out…my 18 month old has popped out from behind our sofa chair butt-naked flapping wipes. looks like she tried to change her own diaper.

Lord have mercy on this mom…