Too Much "Together Time"

With Christmas break and the whole week off before that, we've been experiencing an increase in the amount of sibling rivalry that goes on around here. Fighting and a messy house (which is a lot more unaviodable with everyone home all the time) are the things that drive me crazy faster than anything else. So in an effort to curb the hostilities and restore peace between the children, we came up with a contract about 10 days before Christmas. Every time the kids fought, I would hold on to one of their gifts until they earned it back. Every day they went without fighting they could earn one back. When they get to 21 days in a row - the supposed amount of time it takes to break a habit - they can have everything they lost back. Not counting gifts from Grandma or Santa, just me, I took one away every time a disagreement turned into a fight. By Christmas day, Sophie was down 0 (she's smart enough to keep herself in check), Janelle was down 2, and Brooke was down 16. Sixteen! I didn't even have that many gifts to confiscate, so we agreed that she'd make up the difference with stocking stuff. After Christmas, we still seemed to have a little problem with two of the kids (bet you can't guess which two). So mean mom took control and dictated that all toys be taken away, one group at a time (as in baby dolls as a set, Barbies as a set, etc.) until they can go the entire 21 days in a row, starting over every time they fight.

This may turn out to be a smashing disciplining success story, or my kids may grow up to tell therapists stories about their cruel mother. It's a risk I'm willing to take.

So what do they do when I take all their stuff away? Somehow Sophie convinced Janelle to play her slave and push her around in a laundry basket while she reads and Janelle does her chore for her. Told you that girl's smart.

As of right now, Brooke and Janelle have lost all toys and privileges except books (I won't take those away because it's good for them and they don't fight when they read), and have not fought for one hour and 23 minutes. Only 20 days, 22 hours and 37 minutes to go!