Sometimes it's a matter of whatever works, right? At least that's what I'm telling myself.
Spirited as she is, Mackenzie is a pretty good egg. She's three, so she has her moments, but she tries. Definitely tries. Sometimes she tries to follow rules and other times she tries not to. The latter seems to come a bit more naturally. Just kidding. Maybe not kidding. But really, this is what three is all about. Testing limits. Learning limits. Testing them a bit more.
Discipline has never been easy with her. Maybe because she's my first and maybe because she is so spirited. And, pretty bright. Seems she is often a move or two in front of me. Lately, I have tried two external compliance motivators. I warn you, they involve deception.
Let's start with the Elf. In my last entry, I mentioned that I got the Elf on the Shelf. He's the guy who hangs around and reports back to Santa, helps Santa keep track of his Naughty and Nice List. There are tons of Elf's in houses everywhere. Our Elf is named Fisbee. They all fly back to the North Pole when the kids are sleeping and give Santa the latest 411 on their assigned kiddos. Mackenzie's response after when we went through the whole deal? 'I don't like that guy.' Of course she doesn't. This morning we went searching for him and found him by the TV. She was excited to find him, but then started calling him 'Stinky Elf.' Maybe she's over the commercialism of Christmas at three and really doesn't want presents from Santa? But then she tells him she's sorry. Hopefully he has a sense of humor.
I like the Elf on the Shelf. Sure it involves using Santa Claus to your parental advantage, but don't most Santa-believing parents use him on some level? And it's a cute story actually. Not vicious and threatening like the parents I witnessed at the mall play area reprimanded their child by angrily taking her to face off with Santa after she didn't listen. Yikes! I'd fear Santa's wrath if I were that poor little girl. Come on people!
The next external compliance motivator is probably pretty awful. Back in September we were at a birthday party. Mackenzie and one of her BFF's went running and were neither were listening to us Mom's telling them to come back. I don't remember what exactly BFF's mom said, but she yelled out something like, 'Miss Smith's Orphanage.' BFF stopped in her tracks and came back immediately. BFF's Mom told me how when she was growing up in New York there was an orphanage that her mom used to threaten to send her to if she was bad. So, she has carried on this tradition with her kids and said that she doesn't use it often, but when she does, it works. Her oldest has figured out it's a ruse (he's in Kindergarten), but the three year old continues to respond fantastically.
Yesterday Mackenzie and I got to talking about Miss Pritchet's house, a place where parents send their kids who won't listen. I was telling her how sad all the kids there are because they miss their Mommy's and Daddy's and brothers and don't have any toys to play and don't get to watch tv. She was intrigued by Miss Pritchet's. She asked if I ever went there and I said I did. My Mommy sent me there and I was so sad. We talked about if she wanted go there and of course she does not.
Today she was being very silly at naptime, which is cute at first but then equals no nap equals tired fussy evening equals frustrated Momma equals no good for anyone. So, I asked her if she wanted to go to Miss Pritchet's and she looked at me with big eyes and said 'No.' Then she went right down for her nap.
Horrible I know, but she's asleep and I'm enjoying the peace and quiet.
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