Over the last few months, Colsen has been discovering the wonderful world of discipline (not to be confused with the "wonderful world of Disney." Slightly different)
Colsen has watched his brother and sister get in trouble many, many, many times, and has seen them get to sent to the Time-Out Chair. So when we started implementing this with him, he caught on quickly. In fact, he has taken to it with great delight. Now whenever he's doing something he knows he's not supposed to do, all we have to say very calmly is, "Colsen, go to your chair," and usually he drops what he's doing and runs to his chair -- yes, runs! His face lights right up as if he's thinking, "Cool! Now we get to play the Chair Game!"
The Chair Game then ensues with the following components:
As soon as he sits in the chair, he immediately says "Dow" because he's seen his brother and sister sing the "Can I get down now" refrain every time they sit there. We tell him "no" so he sits with a big smile for a few seconds. Then he'll slowly start to get down of his own accord, with that daring gleam in his eye, as he steps the Game up a notch. We tell him "no" again and put him back. After a couple rounds with this outcome, the Game starts to lose some of its enjoyment for him and he realizes he once again is not going to Win. Eventually, though, after he's been sitting there (crying now) for what seems like forever to him, i.e., a handful of seconds, we finally say, "Ok, you can get down now," and off he runs with great excitement. And, sometimes, he runs right back to whatever activity he was involved in that caused the Game to begin in the first place, and starts it all over again.
Colsen has gotten pretty good at the Chair Game now, though I still always win. Sometimes if I'm in the kitchen and he's doing something wrong, I'll send him to the Chair in the living room.
Off he runs without me to supervise him. I can see his reflection in the glass fireplace doors, so I watch him sit in the chair, wait a few seconds, and then sneakily try to get down. All I have to say, though, is something like, "Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh!" and he goes scurrying back (wondering, I'm sure, "Are her eyes everywhere???" --which is exactly what I want him to think!).
Each of our kids has gone through this discovery of the Chair Game, and it's been interesting to watch each time. I love seeing the honest face of human nature as they realize the Law of Consequences. And it reminds me that I am the same way. Even though we all think we want pure freedom and to make our own rules, really we thrive and even enjoy our Boundaries.
Sometimes we run right to the edge of them (which is True Freedom, to be able to do that), and sometimes we end up crying when we face them, but overall we need them and, even, cherish them.
Colsen has watched his brother and sister get in trouble many, many, many times, and has seen them get to sent to the Time-Out Chair. So when we started implementing this with him, he caught on quickly. In fact, he has taken to it with great delight. Now whenever he's doing something he knows he's not supposed to do, all we have to say very calmly is, "Colsen, go to your chair," and usually he drops what he's doing and runs to his chair -- yes, runs! His face lights right up as if he's thinking, "Cool! Now we get to play the Chair Game!"
The Chair Game then ensues with the following components:
As soon as he sits in the chair, he immediately says "Dow" because he's seen his brother and sister sing the "Can I get down now" refrain every time they sit there. We tell him "no" so he sits with a big smile for a few seconds. Then he'll slowly start to get down of his own accord, with that daring gleam in his eye, as he steps the Game up a notch. We tell him "no" again and put him back. After a couple rounds with this outcome, the Game starts to lose some of its enjoyment for him and he realizes he once again is not going to Win. Eventually, though, after he's been sitting there (crying now) for what seems like forever to him, i.e., a handful of seconds, we finally say, "Ok, you can get down now," and off he runs with great excitement. And, sometimes, he runs right back to whatever activity he was involved in that caused the Game to begin in the first place, and starts it all over again.
Colsen has gotten pretty good at the Chair Game now, though I still always win. Sometimes if I'm in the kitchen and he's doing something wrong, I'll send him to the Chair in the living room.
Off he runs without me to supervise him. I can see his reflection in the glass fireplace doors, so I watch him sit in the chair, wait a few seconds, and then sneakily try to get down. All I have to say, though, is something like, "Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh!" and he goes scurrying back (wondering, I'm sure, "Are her eyes everywhere???" --which is exactly what I want him to think!).
Each of our kids has gone through this discovery of the Chair Game, and it's been interesting to watch each time. I love seeing the honest face of human nature as they realize the Law of Consequences. And it reminds me that I am the same way. Even though we all think we want pure freedom and to make our own rules, really we thrive and even enjoy our Boundaries.
Sometimes we run right to the edge of them (which is True Freedom, to be able to do that), and sometimes we end up crying when we face them, but overall we need them and, even, cherish them.
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