Love and Logic Update

So I am almost done with the book. Basically I have taken some things that I like out it and some things I like out another book and am using both of them. The main two things are consistency and choices. Last night I decided that I was going to try a little bit of this out, after a fantastic day at school- until the last 20 minutes of the day.
G got her home reader level changed yesterday ( super proud of her ) so normally I would just tell her to go and bring me her home reader. Since I knew this was something that I didn't need for her to right away, so I simply said to her- " I would really love to see your home reader that you brought home, since your level went up, when you have a minute can you bring it me so I can see it?" She went and got her home reader, and even sat there and did her reading. So homework is now done for the night! Homework is a HUGE battle. I then ask her to please bring me her binder, so we can sign off on it, she tells me no, and I let that go for the moment. About 10 minutes later she asks me to pour her a drink, I respond with " I would love to get you a drink, but remember when I asked you to bring me your binder? You didn't want too, and now I don't feel like getting up" Binder is in my hand not 30 seconds later- no arguing, no begging and pleading, no threats of loss of privileges.
Bath time is another nightly struggle at our house. So I just  simply told her, "I would really like it if you could watch American Idol with us tonight, but before we do you need to take a bath. I am going to start it in about 30 minutes" 10 minutes later she is getting in the bath.

So far so good, hopefully this is something that is going to work for us. I know that I am worn out with consent struggles and battles. I know that it is going to take sometime, but at least we are seeing some improvements!!

What a week, and it's only Tuesday

Have you ever just been over it at the beginning of the week? Well that's my week ( all two days of it so far) I need a break, like a week off. In the last 2 days we have gotten some really bad news, have to move(which we knew was coming up), and both of my kids are acting crazy.
Yesterday was a holiday, so that means no school. I had to practicly bribe my 14 year old to stay home with her sister. To which she could not grasp the fact that I ask her to babysit maybe once a month. I know she has friends that babysit ALL THE TIME. Then I got calls all day long, to the point where I almost had to send my Mom over there, because of the fact that they just can't manage to act right. So I get home, and I think they are going to act right, oh no, it's just the beginning of it for the night. I really don't understand how two kids, with 7 years in between them can fight so much!
Now today I have had 2 calls from the school for my youngest. I am really just a loss for words at this point. We tell her everyday how important it is for her to listen and keep her hands to herself. We have told her this, taken away privileges, and read all kinds of books. The school suggested that we start using, Love and Logic, which is what they are using at school. The book has some really good points, but it also has some really bad reviews, so I just don't know.
What I would really like is for both of my kids to listen to me, be respectful, and for both of them to not get in trouble at school.

Love and Logic

I'm wondering if anyone has tried this in disciplining  their children. During my very long meeting with the school yesterday, this was suggested to me. All I have read on it has been positive and this is what the teachers are using at school. So I am now getting ready to start reading the book, and applying what I learn at home.
Basically I have to have follow through at home, and my child loves to argue with me, who knew? :) Because I have known this for a long time.

So anyone have any thoughts to share with me on this? I would love some feedback!

Yesterday was just a not so fun Mom day!

I have two daughters, two very, very different daughters. My oldest is almost 15 and my youngest is 7. They are seriously night and day, and they both seriously got in trouble yesterday for two completely different things. So this blog post may be LONG, but well I feel the need to share. I will though explain the differences in my girls so that you have a better understanding, starting with oldest, because it explains a bit why I have no clue why youngest does some of the things that she does.
My oldest is almost 15, less then a month and she will be driving herself, which makes the story even funnier, because we were in the car talking about her getting ready to get her permit when she almost got grounded until her birthday. Kate was such an easy child, never in trouble at school, honor's student, great trumpet player, she did competitive cheerleading for 4 years, then this year made her varsity squad as a freshman, teacher's LOVE her, they want a classroom full of kids just like her. Now that you think my child is the perfect child, don't be confused- at home she is a smart mouth, fights with her sister all the time, won't pick up after herself, stay's on her phone/text/facebook, and thinks my sole purpose in life is to be her taxi/ATM/maid.
So we are driving down the road last night, and my fiance (boyfriend of 9 years, life partner, baby daddy) goes " That's why teenagers don't need to drive, look at that car, it's all over the place, cutting in and out of car's" Then they cut us off and turned- way to fast. But not before we noticed that it was not just any car of teenage drivers, but my lovely daughter and her friends. I then get irate, and not just a little irate, but full out screaming and yelling about how if she can't ride with responsible drivers then she doesn't need to ride with anyone but her parents. And this is how kids end up getting killed, you know that whole nine yards. So I call her and she of course doesn't pick up because she knows that shes in trouble. Finally I do get in touch with her, and well she is not happy with what I have to say, and of course I am the worst mother in the world because I want to keep her safe.
And now my youngest daughter, who is a handful, she is mouthy, and strong willed, and wants her own way all the time, she pushes every button I have and knows that she can wear me down, she also does competitive cheer, and is a girl scout. Gracie was very sick when she was little, she had a rare disorder called Langerhans's Cell Histiocytosis. So she has been babied ALOT. She is my baby, she is the funniest, loving child ever. She is also pretty darn mean sometimes. We get regular call's from the school, her principal and I are on a first name basis, I talk to her some day's more then I talk to my friends. So yesterday the school emails start coming at about 11:30, Gracie doesn't want to do anything asked of her, she's pushing, arguing with friends, ect. So I am not happy by the time I pick her up, she then has cheer, which I can't keep her from practicing, because she's on a team and it's not fair to the other girls on her team. So what does she do, act's HORRIBLE the last part of practice.

So now both of my kids are grounded for the next week.... more fun times at my house.

Another On time morning!

Being on time may be an easy thing for some, for me not so much, I'm the friend that you have, that you make sure to tell to meet you 20 minutes before we actually need to be somewhere, that way I will only be 5 minutes later then I should be.
So we had another successful morning at our house. We got up, laid out the clothes, set the timer, and got to it. Now to my youngest I think she is thinking that her and I are racing to get ready fastest. She even got her things for cheer this afternoon, and put them in her bag without me having to ask her. For us this is a HUGE step. Morning's, homework, and bedtime are the hardest things in our house for her. I'm not saying that we have concurred mornings by any means, I know that 3 good mornings DOES NOT mean that we are over the struggle, but it does give me hope that things are getting easier with her.

Now if I could just get my teenage daughter to be as nice to me as she is to everyone else :)

UGH...Monday

Why is it that Monday seems like it always comes so fast? And why is it that if I am in a great mood when I walk in the door at work on a Monday, normally by about 9am my good mood is gone?
One of the things I want to do with the new year is be more positive, I think I am going to take Monday mornings out of that. We got off to a pretty good start this morning, I did the whole timer thing again this morning for the little one, and to my surprise it worked again. Then we got to school and she started with the whole- I'm sleepy, I want to go home, blah, blah blah..... So now I am wondering just how long it will be until I get a call/email from the school. I've accepted the fact that my youngest is going to push the limit's as much as she can, but I still hope for everyday to be a good day.
On the plus side my weekend was great! Saturday was the Spring Premiere for Thirty One, which of course was just amazing! I love the new products, and I love the fact that I get to do something I love while spending time with my two besties, yes they both sell. So it was great getting to spend time with them and the other amazing women on our team. I am super excited to start doing spring party's and I have tons of new things planned that are hopefully going to help me to grow my business. I really would like to promote by August!! So wish me luck :)

I hope that I continue to have readers on my blog, I know that I post about a ton of different things, and that my blog is all over the place. But I am writing about my life, and well my life is all over the place!

Being the Mom of a VERY Strong Willed Child.

I think I have said this before, but I don't want my blog to be all about doing giveaways and reviews. I kinda want to be able to blog about all area's of my life. And I am way to lazy to keep two separate blogs :) I'm trying to come up with a way to kinda merge everything together.
So anyways, I am the mother of a VERY, and when I say VERY I mean, very, very strong willed child. Almost everything in our house is a struggle and a power battle. I started reading a book about strong willed children (on my brand new Kindle Fire, that I love) And one of the things they suggested is if you have a straggler in the morning, to set a timer, give them that much time to get dressed and ready and when the timer goes off your done. Even if that means putting the clothes in a bag and walking out the door. When I read this I was like- SERIOUSLY, REALLY, NO WAY that is going to work.
Fast forward to this morning, my lovely 7 year old was doing her normal taking her time, I can't put my own clothes on, I don't want to do it, if your a Mom you know the 100's of excused you will here. All of this is going while I am trying to get ready. So what do I do? I set her clothes out, explain to her that I am going to set the timer for 15 minutes, we have to be out the door when it goes off, and anything not on or together will be staying at the house, and yes that might mean you go to school in your jammies. I then ignored her, and continued to get ready to go. And then to my surprise when the timer went off, she was dressed, with backpack and ready to go!!

Anyone else have a hard time getting the kids out the door in the morning? What works for you?