| Hi Parent Friend. Yesterday was awesome. It was a | | | | bathroom, and once he is back to the room he gets |
| full and complete day and I got a lot accomplished. I | | | | dressed. I usually decide to let Markus sleep for |
| had my parenting class with our Family Therapist and I | | | | another 10 minutes, and get Malcolm going with his |
| used some of what she and I discussed on Markus | | | | breakfast and any undone homework. |
| and Malcolm, our 7-year old twin boys, later in the day. I | | | | When I come back to the room for Markus he has put |
| am pleased to tell you it worked like a charm. | | | | the sheet back on his body and is, of course, still |
| Before I get into what I did with our children, I would like | | | | asleep. This is when the fight begins, between him and |
| to tell you a little about my family. My goal is to share | | | | I. I physically pull him up and begin dressing him. He is so |
| as much as I can about the skills I am learning, desiring | | | | angry at this point, he tells me he doesn't want to wear |
| that you will be able to use these tools to improve | | | | what I have gotten from the closet, so he begins to |
| parenting skills and your relationship with your children. | | | | not allow me to put the clothes on him. He is only 7 |
| These skills will add to your parenting toolbox in a very | | | | years old but he is pretty darn strong. The struggle |
| big way. Trust me on this one. My husband and I | | | | ensues. By the time he is up and dressed the school |
| adopted twin boys when they were 5 and brought | | | | bus with Malcolm one it is long gone and I eventually |
| them into our life. We had actually fostered them up | | | | have to take him to school in my car. |
| until that time starting from the age of 8 days, so we | | | | The approach our therapist and I came up with getting |
| are truly the only parents they know. Since they came | | | | Markus, or any child up up and out on time, is threefold. |
| into our lives, we are experiencing that they have | | | | 1) First, the children and I will lay out their clothes at |
| some "challenging behaviors" we have had to deal | | | | night so there is no fight in the morning about what to |
| with as their parents. We will cover these behaviors | | | | wear. |
| and give expert advice on how to deal with them as | | | | 2) Second, if Markus , or your child, doesn't get up |
| well as other parenting advise in our FREE monthly | | | | after your usual promptings take a spray bottle and |
| best parenting advice newsletter. The theme for this | | | | stream the side of his face with water until he is fully |
| particular therapy session was "How To Get A Child | | | | awake. |
| Up and Dressed In The Morning So That He Is Ready | | | | 3) Third, give the children warm fuzzies in the m |
| When The Bus Comes". | | | | morning to keep them motivated. Fuzzies such as, I |
| Our son, Markus, is extremely hard to wake up in the | | | | really like how you get up the first time I tell you to. |
| morning. When I first come into the boy's room, I | | | | Wow, you look so handsome in those clothes, and |
| sweetly say to them "It's morning, time for us to wake | | | | because you focused completely on your homework |
| up." Malcolm begins stirring but Markus continues to lie | | | | until it was completed we are going to have a special |
| there as if he has no life in him. Next, I pull off the top | | | | dessert tonight. |
| cover and finally the sheet. When all the covers are | | | | The two very important rules on praising in this |
| off both boys, Malcolm usually opens his eyes and | | | | situation are to: |
| begins stretching. Markus, conversely, starts trying to | | | | (1) first praise the behavior and not the child and |
| pull the covers back on his body while whining, "I'm still | | | | (2) second, always follow through on your promises. |
| sleepy." He then usually becomes very defiant and | | | | The result is that after doing everything I outlined |
| doesn't get up. I get frustrated because I see it is going | | | | above, Markus was on the bus with his homework |
| to be a battle again with him so I start working with | | | | completed for the first time in weeks. |
| Malcolm. I gently pull Malcolm up and his goes to the | | | | |