SOMETIMES DICSACPLINE JUST DOESN'T WORK

I often here it's the "middle child syndrome" I'd have to agree ever since having our own three Daughter's. Sometimes watching our middle child fight her way through her two sisters for attention can be difficult. Since you have the oldest, the middle and the baby of the family. I'm sure you all know how that goes who have three or more children yourself.

I've been finding out more now that our Daughter Viv will act out more than her older sis and baby sis. Why? Sometimes I believe for attention. As a Mother I often think or even feel I am giving the same amount of attention to all three. But maybe they are not feeling that themselves. Also as a Mother I have to remember and respect that. I have to also remember Viv is who she is. She has her own personality. She is not her sisters. They are each their own person. They each act out differently. They will each react differently.

This brings me to this past weekend. I was at my wits ends as a Mother with my Daughter Viv. I didn't want to put her in yet... another time-out. I was feeling like they were only working in the moment and not in the long run. I took a deep breath and counted to ten. Trust me Moms out there...counting to ten really helps you collect yourself! Once I gathered myself after those ten seconds in thought, I knew what I had to do.

I stood there..looking eye to eye with my 5 year old strong willed Daughter. I then told her, "You are being mean to me and you are hurting my feelings by not listening to Mommy." She paused for a moment, and looked at me with her face beginning to pout. All a sudden at that moment I started to question myself. Should I have said that? Did I say the wrong thing to my Daughter? Right when I was questioning myself in my head, she ran up to me and gave me the tightest bear hug ever and apologized. We ended with our typical "I love you more than chocolate routine." She even went to clean her bedroom the cleanest she has ever cleaned it. I was so proud of her and made her I told her.

This past weekend I realized I had been disciplining my Daughter all wrong. I know now how I really need to discipline my Daughter Viv to get through to her. To make her fully comprehend me. She needs to know how I feel emotionally at her level. I think that is why she understood so well because I used the same exact words she uses when she is upset with me. Makes total sense why time-outs were not working. Now on we both continue to express our feelings and it is working out great.

Even though I have three Daughters, it does not mean I can use the same discipline technique on all three. Like I mentioned earlier, they each have their own personalities. Viv just happens to be strong willed yet emotional. That is why time-outs don't work for her and expressing our feelings do work. Of course you need to be careful how you express yourself as a Mother and choose your words wisely. But so far this is working great for me and Viv.