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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Punishments for bad behaviour

84 replies

Witsend247 · 11/11/2017 13:48

My children's behaviour has become out of control. Especially my youngest who is 8.
I've tried grounding, loss of screen time. All of which is followed through to be met with an "I don't care" attitude. And the cycle continues. Something needs to change or I'll end up leaving them with DH. Theyre making me unwell.

OP posts:
Barbie222 · 11/11/2017 17:40

I think, with the greatest respect, you are coming across as someone who doesn't like her children at the moment, rather than doesn't like the behaviour, and if we can pick up on that so will they.

With four children I think you need to engineer an environment where most of the children are having fun and getting praise and those who aren't are in the minority. In other words you need most of them on your side most of the time. This probably means managing their activities and doing fun stuff with them, rather than letting them get on with it and having down time, for the next few days. So cooking, den making, family movie, soft play for the younger ones. Even little things like sit in between them so they can't fight, control all the equipment so they have to ask you for it all, etc etc. Be the main personality in the activity and then they'll hopefully want to do it and you can exclude them for short periods of time if you need to and they can see everyone else having fun. Don't rise to any I don't care and try not to show any emotion when you give tIme out, just sigh, eye roll to the other children and take their stuff away.

It's a pain for you because constantly entertaining and leading is very draining but I think that's how to work it with larger groups. Once the culture in the house is changed you can step back more.

Barbie222 · 11/11/2017 17:40

Yes harsh Raven!!! Thought I was strict.

grasspigeons · 11/11/2017 17:44

here are some positive ideas that might help a bit - I have notes of other ideas somewhere, but these are the ones that seemed to stick in my mind.

model the behaviour you want. If you want calm helpful people who respect each other, then you have to be calm helpulf and respectful

don't set them against each other (not who can do shoes faster than brother) but can you all help each other to get ready before the timer.

use things like timers. Simply setting a timer has revolutionised my mornings for instance. The timer goes off and we all (including me - modelling the behaviour I want) go put our shoes on. ITs a timer FFS but it works.

use now and next language - and visual prompts if needed. Now we are loading the dishawaher and next we are watching TV. If you need a chart up showing the order stuff gets done in then make one.

don't take stuff away for getting things wrong, give stuff for getting it right - so we can all have half hour tablet time when x is done.

you don't have to join in every arguament you are invited to - just say you will listen when they aren't whining or bickering

if you want to be heard then don't yell from another room whilst doing something else. If its important stop what you are doing and go to them and get eye contact.

Reward charts work with some children. One of mine got anxious so we just literally wrote down everything a child did that was positive during a week. I wrote it on a little slip of paper and put it in a jar (did homework, helped friend, tidied room, said thank you to mrs smith) then on Sunday we ate lunch, lit a candle and read out all the amazing things they had done. We do this regularly. There is no reward linked to it, but they love hearing how nice they are.

I'll see if anything else that could be useful comes to mind.

its never going to be perfect - you have lots of kids and an unsupportive DH. But there are things that can make it better and they are positive things that will help, not more negative stuff.

MaisyPops · 11/11/2017 17:47

It sounds like a vicious cycle.

They clearly bejave at school so they know how to behave. My guess with school it's the consistency (at least that's what parents have said to me when they have issues at home but they're good at school).

I think your DH being back ajd forth and then undermining you is doing this. No sooner do the children start to get a feel for how things are, he comes back and undermines you so they decide to try it on.

Someone said to me it's not the severity of sanctions or the strength of praise thay matters, it's the certainty and consistency if it. With your DH being a bit of a disney dad he is making your life hard.

Pengggwn · 11/11/2017 17:48

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Justbookedasummmerholiday · 11/11/2017 17:49

Op change the Wifi password before you go out. ...

TittyGolightly · 11/11/2017 17:49

My guess with school it's the consistency (at least that's what parents have said to me when they have issues at home but they're good at school).

They’re competing with 29 other children at school and the opportunities to “be themselves” are much fewer. At home they can react to that constricting environment with those they trust most in the world. And then rather than being understood they are punished. Sad

Witsend247 · 11/11/2017 17:51

There's only 3 dcs. 8, 10 and 15. I don't shout and do lots of fun things with them. I've always been a positive parent until recently when I realised my laidback friendly attitude was creating a couple of brats. I don't shout. I always speak in a calm but firm voice as if I shout they will shout over me and the cycle will continue. They know what is expected of them. And the consequences of their actions. I've tried ignoring the bad and praising the good. I do like my children and they do feel loved. My stance now is respect = respect.

OP posts:
MaisyPops · 11/11/2017 17:52

Pengggwn
But this is the thing, some people seem to think that the cool default situation is to 'earn respect' because it sounds good without realising that that view assumes it is fine to treat people with no respect until someone proves their worth.

There is a basic level of respect that all human beings should afford to others and a basic level of respect to parents.

Pengggwn · 11/11/2017 17:54

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llangennith · 11/11/2017 17:55

You sound such a caring fun parent Confused

MaisyPops · 11/11/2017 17:55

titty
Kids can be themselves in school. They just can't get away with being rude, insolent or agressive.

Are you suggesting that expecting children to behave with manners and courtesy is so constricting that it accounts for apalling disrespect and violence at home?

MrsTerryPratchett · 11/11/2017 17:58

Why shouldn't a parent be saying yes, you will show respect, I am your parent? Because it's meaningless. What I demand is decent behaviour. Not an internal feeling of admiration. I hope I have that but I don't demand it. I think people use 'respect' to mean 'decent behaviour' but it's not the same.

MaisyPops · 11/11/2017 17:59

The rest is navel gazing crap.
It's the sort of crap that comes from people who call up school excusing a child's behaviour because 'we think there is a personality clash' or 'DC doesn't really do that activity and when you told them to follow a basic instriction that's quite a negative experienve for DC' or 'we don't do sanctions in our house as we positively parent so DC won't be attending your detention'.

It also doesn't help people like the OP who are trying to put boundaries in place in the face of an unsupportive DP who wants yo be mates with thr kids because the message is 'be more like your DP. He is the fun one and your kids will lile you more when you follow their lead and do wjat they want'.

Pengggwn · 11/11/2017 18:03

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Pengggwn · 11/11/2017 18:05

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humblesims · 11/11/2017 18:11

You wont solve this problem until you and your DH are singing from the same hymn sheet. He is the problem. Kids see that division and exploit it. Divide and conquer.

MaisyPops · 11/11/2017 18:13

Pengggwn

My best one recently was 'it's a personality clash and she doesn't like strict female teachers'. This happened twice before being moved into my class (a much stricter female teacher). Student is doing really well and is lovely.

Pengggwn · 11/11/2017 18:15

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MrsTerryPratchett · 11/11/2017 18:15

Respect and admiration aren't the same thing. The dictionary tells me otherwise.

If they don't, it is because they don't have the respect to control their behaviour. Mine has a feeling of pride in her achievements, an internal locus that has her do the right thing when she wants to do the wrong things and the knowledge that she will get credit for her good choices.

Pengggwn · 11/11/2017 18:16

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MrsTerryPratchett · 11/11/2017 18:18

Which dictionary?

Cambridge and Merriam-Webster.

Pengggwn · 11/11/2017 18:19

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TittyGolightly · 11/11/2017 18:21

My best one recently was 'it's a personality clash and she doesn't like strict female teachers'. This happened twice before being moved into my class (a much stricter female teacher). Student is doing really well and is lovely.

Perfect case in point. Teaching and parenting are not the same thing. My mum was an amazing teacher who expected classroom-like conditions and obedience at home. She didn’t get it, because we needed something different.

She lost out though when I moved out at 17 and didn’t speak to her for almost 10 years.

Pengggwn · 11/11/2017 18:21

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