Just when you think you've got parenting figured out...

Yesterday was a GREAT day, let me tell you why. Well, over the past few weeks, my husband and I have been dealing with some pretty difficult behavior from our three year old son, Tristan. Each morning, we have been greeted with hugs followed by whiny requests/demands for everything from milk to pull-ups to permission to stand outside in the pouring rain. I mean, it's been CONSTANT, and it's driven us crazy (ok, it's driven me crazy and has annoyed Channing).
When facing this behavior, Channing and I sometimes have different ideas on how to handle and diffuse the situations. Channing almost always reverts to what we learned in Growing Kids God's Way and chooses to handle the disobedience quickly and have it quashed. I, on the other hand, look at the contributing factors for his behavior (can sometimes be viewed as making excuses for the behavior, which bothers me when other people do it, but it's ok for me, right?). In doing this, I have noted that despite our best efforts (or medial efforts anyway), Tristan has been getting to bed late every night and has even been missing his afternoon naps on some days. So I think...I can be a really moody person, and when I'm tired, I don't feel like doing what everyone else wants me to do either....and I'm an ADULT! So, I told Channing that until we get Tristan on a proper schedule, I will not strictly discipline him. To me, it's not fair. Because of our poor parenting (and that's what it is. He's three. He needs sleep!), he is acting out. So on Monday, we tested it out. Guess what the results were???
A GREAT day! On Monday night, I had a Mom's Night Out. Before I left, I had Tristan fed, bathed and ready for bed. Channing had instructions to put him to bed NO LATER THAN 8:30 (working my way to 8). He did, and the result on Monday was a happy, sweet, mannerly, and obedient child. I didn't have to tell him one time not to whine or to say please or thank you, and I didn't have to argue with him to follow my directions. I told him it was time for school. He quickly got up and got ready. I told him to turn off his DVD, he did it...without complaining! At nap time, I told him he had two minutes. He timed it, turned the t.v. off all on his own, and went to bed. WOW! Who is this kid?! AMAZING!
As a reward for his outstanding behavior, his daddy told him that he could have a slumber party with us (which means he could sleep in our bed and is always a special treat for him). He was so excited!
So, after all this I'm feeling pretty good about my skills as a parent. I mean, I've got an obedient three year old who loves life and his family, and I've got the happiest six month old I know. Well....if you refer back to my previous blog, you will see that Asher, my six month old, decided it would be a good idea to mix things up a bit. I did get him in bed and asleep by 1:15 a.m.; however, he woke up every two hours! Whoa! That was a major shock to my system! Today, I am exhausted. I'm wondering how I thought I could have it all figured out one minute and clueless the next. I have some ideas as to why Asher was waking up (I'm really thinking, hoping, and praying it's teeth): teething, his room was cold (did anyone turn on their heat last night? I didn't, but I really thought about it), he was off his normal schedule. I don't know. I'm hoping for a better night tonight. Of course, tonight is a church night and will throw both my boys off their schedule, so I may lose my sweet three year old tomorrow as well as my happy six month old.
Only time will tell....