i found a new punishment for my 5 year old!

[Lisababy]

I got called a jerk last night...... by my 5 year old son! All because I wouldn't buy him a stuffed animal at the store last night. He threw such a fit that i literally had to carry him out of the store, kicking and screaming! I was so embarrassed. We get in the car, and he starts telling me "you're a jerk mommy, you are being mean to me, you're such a jerk!"

I felt like pulling the car over to the side of the road and tossing him out with a sign around his neck that said, "free to whomever can deal with his temper tantrums"

*side note, i would never really do that, i was just frustrated.*

Well my babysitter had a great idea, i took him to her house, she talked to him for me, pretty much let him know his behavior was unacceptable and that i was the only mommy he had and he needs to be nice to me and respect me. etc.... (my babysitter is wonderful, she helps out alot since i am a single parent, i don't really have anyone else to fall back on to help discipline. you know how some parent's say, "do i have to call your daddy and tell him how your acting?" well i say, "do i have to call MeeMaw and tell her how you are acting?" works like a charm, most of the time!)

then she suggested that i take him home and make him write 25 times, "I'm sorry I called Mommy a jerk."

It was great, even though he whined and cried the whole time, he wrote his sentences. I had to sit there with him and watch while he did it, it took him an hour and a half but he finished them. And when he was done, all he could say was I'm sorry mommy, you aren't a jerk, i shouldn't have said that to you! :yeah

I've had trouble with finding punishments for him that work, time outs don't work, he won't stay in a time out, putting him in his room won't work, he just screams for hours on end until his voice is worn out. spankings don't work, they only enrage him more. taking toys away doesn't seem to work either. But those sentences worked, he kept complaining that his arm hurt and i would let him take a few minutes break, but he couldn't get up from his seat, just stop writing. I bet you he won't forget that punishment for a while!

[Mopsie]

I may have to try that one! Edit to add: Little Mopsie is a pretty good kid but like any one of them - she needs correction from time to time and this is a really good alternative.

[ZeldaCA]

When I was a teacher, I was always taught that, in order to maintain classroom discipline, I needed to find a "meaningful currency" for the children, which translates to rewards and CONSEQUENCES which had real meaning for the kids. Since all kids are different, each class is, and every year it took me a little time to figure out what the kids LOVED being rewarded with, and HATED being disciplined with.

Lisa, it sounds as if you have found the "meaningful currency" for your son as far as consequences go! Good for you! :nod

[lisaann]

You might find this book very helpful: Sheparding a Child's Heart
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=37191&netp_id=112418&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

[Lisa in OK]

I got called a jerk last night...... by my 5 year old son! All because I wouldn't buy him a stuffed animal at the store last night. He threw such a fit that i literally had to carry him out of the store, kicking and screaming! I was so embarrassed. We get in the car, and he starts telling me "you're a jerk mommy, you are being mean to me, you're such a jerk!"

I felt like pulling the car over to the side of the road and tossing him out with a sign around his neck that said, "free to whomever can deal with his temper tantrums"

*side note, i would never really do that, i was just frustrated.*

Well my babysitter had a great idea, i took him to her house, she talked to him for me, pretty much let him know his behavior was unacceptable and that i was the only mommy he had and he needs to be nice to me and respect me. etc.... (my babysitter is wonderful, she helps out alot since i am a single parent, i don't really have anyone else to fall back on to help discipline. you know how some parent's say, "do i have to call your daddy and tell him how your acting?" well i say, "do i have to call MeeMaw and tell her how you are acting?" works like a charm, most of the time!)

then she suggested that i take him home and make him write 25 times, "I'm sorry I called Mommy a jerk."

It was great, even though he whined and cried the whole time, he wrote his sentences. I had to sit there with him and watch while he did it, it took him an hour and a half but he finished them. And when he was done, all he could say was I'm sorry mommy, you aren't a jerk, i shouldn't have said that to you! :yeah

I've had trouble with finding punishments for him that work, time outs don't work, he won't stay in a time out, putting him in his room won't work, he just screams for hours on end until his voice is worn out. spankings don't work, they only enrage him more. taking toys away doesn't seem to work either. But those sentences worked, he kept complaining that his arm hurt and i would let him take a few minutes break, but he couldn't get up from his seat, just stop writing. I bet you he won't forget that punishment for a while!

Good job, Mom!!!

[MariH]

Good job!

Writing sentences work! Whenever my son would mouth off to me or disobey me, I'd take out a copy of the declaration of independence and have him write that! Or the States/Capitals. Eventually he memorized them!! LOL

[Lisababy]

Good job!

Writing sentences work! Whenever my son would mouth off to me or disobey me, I'd take out a copy of the declaration of independence and have him write that! Or the States/Capitals. Eventually he memorized them!! LOL

that's a great idea too! i figure that this punishment will not only make him think long and hard about what he did to get in trouble, but will also help him with his writing and reading skills. there's no better punishment than something that does both. of course my mother told me that she thought he was too young for this type of discipline to work on him, however, i beg to differ and i'm going to prove her wrong.

[Rebekah]

For older children, along the same lines:

When I was in junior high and high school, I had a teacher that would make us write out James 3 from the Bible if we talked out of turn, used foul language, etc. The chapter talks about the 'taming of the tongue.'

[sisterinchrist]

You might find this book very helpful: Sheparding a Child's Heart
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=37191&netp_id=112418&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

Excellent book. Also "Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Ginger Plowman. She takes principles from the above-mentioned book, and puts them through a Mom's perspective. She is humorous as well. Both books worked on my heart as well. :thumb

[TeachMe]

I wish you had a good idea for my 12....soon to be 13 y/o grandson.
He's been giving me fits and his mother {who is not my daughter...just d-inlaw} is letting him get away with it.
I am so hurt and upset......I'm about ready to disown both of them.
Maybe in time I will get over it.