Hello!
I haven't posted much here but now that we finally have high speed internet in our area it will easier for me to drop it!
So, here's my situation: I have five children; 12, 9, 7, and 3 all girls and then a 16 month old boy. It is SO different having a boy and I'm really feeling puzzled at how to deal with his energy. We manage pretty well at home, although with the cooler weather closing in he's starting to 'climb to walls' so to speak and try to go up on the table and computer desk to explore. However, I'm having trouble at stores. Yesterday we went to a local fruit stand type store. We went inside and he wanted a honey sucker his 3 year old sister handed him. I said no and we put it back. Then he took the container off the shelf and got one himself. He wanted to me open it and when I wouldn't he motioned to stomp on it but stopped himself. At this point I was pretty flustered and was trying hard to consentrate and finish shopping so we could get out of there. My instinct when he starts acting up in a store is to take him out, but I'm always the only adult and I'm in the middle of shopping (we've had some tough times at Walmart). So, then I hear the CRASH of glass breaking. He was standing next to a broken jar of jam that had been on the shelf next to the suckers. I felt so terrible. He was scared and asked to be held and was quiet while I checked out.
So, how do you handle that sort of thing? I asked a few mama's at the dance/gymnastic lesson waiting room where we finished out the evening yesterday and they said to spank him. I could consider there is something in a 'language' like that that he could understand, but it is not something I am comfortable with. Plus I'm not completely impressed by these mother's results with their children. So, what is the other way? My mother and I talked about it and she advocated trying to talk to him before we go into the store and reward him for good behavior and also teach him that he can't touch things in stores, with a last resort of a slap on the hand.
So, I'm looking for some ideas on dealing with this darling, spirited little boy!
Love,
Leslie
I haven't posted much here but now that we finally have high speed internet in our area it will easier for me to drop it!
So, here's my situation: I have five children; 12, 9, 7, and 3 all girls and then a 16 month old boy. It is SO different having a boy and I'm really feeling puzzled at how to deal with his energy. We manage pretty well at home, although with the cooler weather closing in he's starting to 'climb to walls' so to speak and try to go up on the table and computer desk to explore. However, I'm having trouble at stores. Yesterday we went to a local fruit stand type store. We went inside and he wanted a honey sucker his 3 year old sister handed him. I said no and we put it back. Then he took the container off the shelf and got one himself. He wanted to me open it and when I wouldn't he motioned to stomp on it but stopped himself. At this point I was pretty flustered and was trying hard to consentrate and finish shopping so we could get out of there. My instinct when he starts acting up in a store is to take him out, but I'm always the only adult and I'm in the middle of shopping (we've had some tough times at Walmart). So, then I hear the CRASH of glass breaking. He was standing next to a broken jar of jam that had been on the shelf next to the suckers. I felt so terrible. He was scared and asked to be held and was quiet while I checked out.
So, how do you handle that sort of thing? I asked a few mama's at the dance/gymnastic lesson waiting room where we finished out the evening yesterday and they said to spank him. I could consider there is something in a 'language' like that that he could understand, but it is not something I am comfortable with. Plus I'm not completely impressed by these mother's results with their children. So, what is the other way? My mother and I talked about it and she advocated trying to talk to him before we go into the store and reward him for good behavior and also teach him that he can't touch things in stores, with a last resort of a slap on the hand.
So, I'm looking for some ideas on dealing with this darling, spirited little boy!
Love,
Leslie
