AAAARGH!!! Last Resort - Name & Shame? Bad Idea?

[workathomemother]

WHY don't my kids learn!

On the whole they are really good, but they repeatedly do the same things!

1. Washing powder all over the floor, in the cat litter etc Reasons they give: its snowing or helping mummy.

2. Stripping beds down and removing the mattress (?!?!?!?). They even removed the wooden slats one day, telling me it was 'team work'!!! Reasons they give: none, except teamwork ffs.

I have told them time and time again, not to do these things yet it just doesn't 'go in' - why?!

I have put locks on the washing room door, but they get chairs and undo them; I have sat them down and told them how sad it makes me feel; I make them clean up the mess (but they think they're helping mum and like it); I have shouted and ranted; I repeatedly try to be stern and tell them 'im not happy with you because x'....yet still they do it. Why doesn't it go in. What do I have to do???

So now, I'm thinking of printing off pictures of what they have done, putting them up around the house and also showing their dad, teacher and childminder to try and 'shame' them into stopping. But, is this a good idea or not? What do mums think?

I think your expectations of your children at their age are far too high and you are frustrating yourself and possibly them because of this!

I am a great believer that as parents we need to 'help' our children to be 'good'. Through appropriate supervision, distraction and shutting off things that they do not need access to.

None of that makes you a bad mum, it just means you are asking for and getting advice on techniques that might be more effective for your children - nothing bad about that is there:)