Look who got his toys back today! Thank everything holy, Miles was able to make it through the remainder of the week without any other major infractions and I could finally clear his stuff out of my room. I say major infractions because there was one minor physical altercation that, when I initially heard about … Continue reading Year 5, Day 351
Tag: behavior
Year 5, Day 279: Baby’s First Parent-Teacher Conference!
This afternoon, Jaclyn and I stepped into Miles's school at 3:30 for a parenting rite of passage -- our first parent-teacher conference (as parents, anyway). "All right," I groaned, making a slow, deliberate descent into a chair far too small for me. "Give it to me straight." I was only half-joking, as some of the … Continue reading Year 5, Day 279: Baby’s First Parent-Teacher Conference!
Year 5, Day 254
Trying to manage the behaviors of a four-year-old is one of the most insanity-inducing experiences one can endure. Between the screaming, arguing, and general defiance, it feels like every moment is a battle of wills with the least rational human being on Earth. But that's not to say Jaclyn and I always respond well, to … Continue reading Year 5, Day 254
Year 5, Day 240
We (finally) arrived home in Charlotte today after a sleepless (for two of us, anyway) night at Miami International Airport. While the last leg of our trip did not remotely go as expected (our misfortunes continued right up to the point we picked our car up in long-term parking), it hasn't overshadowed just how amazing … Continue reading Year 5, Day 240
Year 5, Day 158
Miles is an argumentative child. I don't think there's a scenario that he wouldn't try to litigate his way around when he's trying to get his way, and he hasn't yet developed an understanding of a universal truth all children must learn to grapple with -- some things are simply not up for debate. With … Continue reading Year 5, Day 158
Year 5, Day 79
An update on Miles's sticker chart: it's been working well so far! In fact, this was the first week since he started that Miles was able to earn all of his stickers, which meant that he finally earned the ultimate reward of eternal life ice cream. It's also the first time he's reached the second … Continue reading Year 5, Day 79
Year 5, Day 56
Today concluded the first week of Miles's sticker chart, and I'm (relatively) happy to report that he earned all but the last two prizes on his list. Which means we ALL earned Family Movie Night. This week's selection, chosen by Miles, was Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). While he didn't earn all of his … Continue reading Year 5, Day 56
Year 5, Day 47
Before we left this morning, I took a moment to show Miles his sticker chart and explain how it works. Now, I've seen his eyes light up before -- Christmas morning, for example -- but holy COW was he excited about this. You'd think he'd been waiting his whole life for a sticker chart. Granted, … Continue reading Year 5, Day 47
Year 5, Day 46
As reported yesterday, this is the week Miles's defiance has risen to heights tall enough to warrant a strict restructuring of behavior expectations. Thanks to my day job, I have a lot of experience with behavior plans, and I can tell you two things that are universally true. One, kids love stickers. Two -- and … Continue reading Year 5, Day 46
Year 5, Day 45
When I drop Miles off in the morning, I always say some variation of the same things: "I love you" and "Have a good day." Sometimes the latter takes the more direct form of "I want a good report today," especially after having a bad day at daycare. I think he'll be hearing that last … Continue reading Year 5, Day 45
The Perils (& Pride) of Paternity 