Advice

When I did that post about Gabe and our behavior struggles, I got lots of good advice. Suzann from The Olive Cottage recommended this book, which I ran right out and bought with my Barnes & Noble gift card. I have hope that it will work.

Some of you are aware that when I played the "mother-in-law lottery", I won the grand prize. My MIL, Kay, is one of the most awesome people I know. She has the same struggles with Gabe when she watches him for me, and she knows the challenges I face. Her discipline style with her kids was very similar to my own, and I never receive judgement from her; always love and support.

So I was really surprised when I received an email from her entitled "Tough Love vs Spanking". I thought she was judging me for the way I've been handling Gabe.

See if I'm over-reacting. Read this email and let me know what you think:

.Tough Love vs.
Spanking - Good
Argument


Most
of the American populace

thinks
it improper to spank
children,

so
I have tried other methods

to
control my kids when

they
have one of 'those moments.'
One
that I found effective

is
for me to just take the
child

for
a car ride and talk.

Some
say it's the vibration

from
the car, others say

it's

the
time away from any

distractions
such as TV,

video
games, computer, iPod,
etc.

Either
way, my kids

usually
calm down and

stop
misbehaving after

our
car ride together.

Eye
to eye contact helps a lot too.

I've
included a photo below

of
one of my sessions

with
my son, in case

you
would like to use the technique.

Kay, I almost peed my pants when I saw this last picture. I had to show it to another mom at work, and as I was reading it to her, she said, "maybe I should try this with Owen (her 5-year old)". When she saw the picture, she roared with laughter.

I love you for many reasons. But this takes the cake!

Hope you all got a laugh, too. Please be assured that I will never try this technique in real life, even though I may consider it seriously somedays...