So. One of your kids has pood in the yard. What now?
Does anyone else lose perspective about what is unacceptable to other families vs what becomes ‘run of the mill’ for you?
We’ve recently had a couple of good weeks of collaborative play with the kids, a few brawls, a couple of eye-clawing incidents and more than a sprinkle of F Words being shouted. All things considered, we’ve actually made some progress with sibling relationships.
Take, for instance, a recent afternoon in our garden. The kids had been playing so nicely, lost in their imaginations and soaking up the fresh air—what more could a parent ask for? Yet, it was only a day later that I learned from a casual remark that one of my kids had pood on the synthetic turf.
At first I was amused – more toilet talk – when will it end. But then my mum brain kicked in and asked for the specific location. Sure enough, there it was, laid on the synthetic turf.
When I enquired as to why this child had felt the need to relieve themselves in the garden, as opposed to the toilet that was 20 steps away, I was informed “I forgot that I did it”. So no real explanation there. I was cross. I let them know that they must use the indoor facilities in future, and I will not tolerate this sh*t (lol).
So you can imagine my surprise when the VERY NEXT WEEK, one of my little ‘police officers’ turned their sibling in to the authorities - me. This time it had been done down the side of our deck. This time the dog had eaten some of it and proceeded to vomit through the lounge room. When I cross examined the alleged offender there was no real explanation, just “it was a part of the game”.
Despite the unconventional play themes, they hadn't physically hurt each other for a good hour or so—that's a win in my book! However, explaining the severity of our dog's illness due to their actions really brought the gravity of the situation home. We've had no further incidents since. Not because it's gross, unacceptable, or unhygienic for the humans—but because the dogs might get sick, and THAT is where we draw the line.
Sometimes, parenting is about finding those unconventional teaching moments and realizing they sometimes resonate more than traditional methods. What odd yet effective lessons have you found yourself teaching lately?
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