I have 3 children. 12 year old twins and an 8 year old.
The twins were always extremely polite, did as they were told and we used the naughty chair when they were small.
DS8 has a different dad who spoils him and we separated when he was a baby. DS has never had any punishments and purposely does the opposite of what’s expected of him, for example, if I were to say that we must walk this route as it’s safer he would walk the other route. He answers back as he’s “always right”. He also does this at school and to others. It’s rude and embarrassing. Possibly like his father, maybe I’m just thinking that as I’m not his biggest fan but multiple people have said to me that the DS’s behaviour is similar to his Dad’s personality.
I wouldn’t say I found parenting all 3 alone hard since then but it’s naturally harder than with a partner. From the outside I look like the perfect mum.
The children have grown older and now I cannot put the two eldest on a naughty step. I do take gadgets away from them however they carry on behaviour I am not happy with and then I have no punishment to hand out?
Their behaviour isn’t acceptable anymore, and I don’t know how to punish them in an age appropriate way. The don’t do as I say as they have no repercussions, but i don’t actually know what they should be for their ages? Say they get a gadget ban for bad behaviour, then they may misbehave 12 more times that day. What do I do then?
Also how do I tackle the 7 year old? Is he young enough for time out? Gadget ban too? He doesn’t seem to care about any punishment and never has. So it felt useless keep putting him in time outs when he didn’t care in the slightest.
Sorry this is rambling.