I find myself annoyed with the boys more than I think I should be. They fight, they test me, they complain constantly, they know no other volume than AS LOUD AS THEY CAN TALK/YELL. I don't know if it is that they are five, that there are two of them, that they are boys, a combination of those, or if it's me. God, don't let it be me...
Spend an hour in my home and you will definitely hear one (or all) of the following):
- Take that back in the kitchen
- Cole, CUT THAT OUT
- Roark, we don't use bathroom words when talking about people
- STOP HITTING HIM
- Quit kicking your brother
- Don't tell me NO!
- Go to your room.
- I will NOT ask you again.
- Use your inside voice please.
- USE YOUR INSIDE VOICE.
- LOOK AT ME.
- If you don't use your inside voice, I will put you outside.
- No - You cannot go outside.
- Dude, stop yelling. I am right here.
- Food. IN THE KITCHEN.
- What did you JUST SAY????
- Leave that alone.
- Put that back.
- That is not yours.
- Go to the bathroom before you wet yourself. Good grief!
I have a sticker system (bribery) that I use when they are respectful and kind all day. They are not getting very many stickers lately. They also don't appear to care. I am beginning to think that five year old boys have a type of dementia that renders them unable to associate behavior with punishment/rewards. They also seem unable to remember ANYTHING I tell them for any length of time. Or...they just don't give a damn. How do I make them give a damn?