For anyone who has ever been eight months pregnant you know going after Mackenzie was not an option. Just thinking about going after her was exhausting. What’s more, calling Mackenzie back to her just spurred Mackenzie on to run faster—away from her momma. So what did Becca do? She looked at Emma and said, “Get her, Emma! And bring her back to me.” (all said in a no-nonsense, she’s-in-big-trouble-now tone of voice).
This is a clear ‘case’ of Mackenzie having Becca over the
proverbial barrel.
Sure she was only 2, but she knew what she was
doing. She knew she was getting away with something and that her momma was
powerless to run after her. But Mackenzie’s victory was temporary. Emma was
happy to oblige Becca, and if memory serves me correctly, she gave Mack a good
scolding on the way back to where Becca was waiting to dole out a bit more
discipline.
Do your kids have you over a barrel? I’m not just talking
about running toward a playground even when you tell them not to. And I’m not
just talking about getting one more bedtime story and another drink of
water three more times before the lights go out at night. Those things are part
of dealing with raising a toddler. But the key phrase in that sentence is ‘dealing
with’. If you don’t deal with these ‘barrel issues’ when they are little, your
kids will have you right where they want you later on.
So how do you make sure your kids don’t keep you over a
barrel? I’m glad you asked.
*Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you say ‘one
more time’, then one more time is all there should be. If you say ‘no’ then
stick to it. If you tell them they can’t have something, don’t give it to them
to keep peace.
*Set boundaries and enforce them. If a child breaks the
rules (which we all know they will), make sure they suffer the consequences for
doing so. Kids need rules, boundaries, consistency and they need you to be
credible. They don’t just need it—they thrive on it.
*Don’t be afraid of your kids. Too many parents these days
are afraid to hurt their kids’ feelings or making them angry or upset. Too many
parents are bending over a barrel willingly because they are afraid their kids
won’t love them or like them. Trust me they love you. They even like you (most
of the time). But what’s more, they need
and want you. They need and want you to be strong, firm, fair, and constant.
Don’t be afraid to stand up straight—to stand up to your
kids and for your kids.
Love,
Momma D
Copyright 2017 Darla Noble. No part of this can be used or copied without permission from the author.
