"You're Doing it WRONG!"

You ever get the feeling that you've been doing something wrong for a long time? That you can't QUITE figure out what's wrong with what you're doing wrong? And you certainly have no idea how to fix it?

Me too.

I have been feeling this way about a) child discipline and b) children's toys.

a:

Frequently uttered phrases, "He never LISTENS." "He never OBEYS." "He's so DIFFICULT." Enter this book: Parenting with Love and Logic

It's not a perfect approach, and I'm certainly not going to be perfect while implementing it, but it's a start toward a healthier relationship with my son and a happier life as a stay-at-home-mom.

b:
This one is trickier, because it requires other members of my house to get on board. And the holidays are coming up. BUT. Here goes: I'm struggling with the amount of STUFF we have on our home (toy and play related), how it is organized, displayed and available for play. I want a crafting/art area; I want a single "playroom" area on the main floor (but I'm unwilling to sacrifice my piano and my coat closet); I want my children to get messy and learn from doing so. Enter Play at Home Mom. This group of women are some of the bravest mothers I've ever encountered, and I currently want to BE them. How I'm going to implement their techniques is a work in progress...but my Christmas shopping list for the children is looking a lot different this year. (Want to help me brainstorm? Feel free!!!)

Stay tuned...I hope.