House Rules

We’re trying to change the way things are done within our family.  I think this is an ever changing iterative process based on how parenting has gone for us up to this point.   I suppose it’s a bit like life: adapting to changes as changes come your way.  But with my own life it seems I was able to learn how to change and grow at about the same pace as I grew into myself.   With these children things, I just can’t keep up.

Maybe yours developed at a slower pace but the two we got have hyper drives.   Or so it seems.   The latest thing we’re doing is creating some House Rules.   My husband and I had prepared for this in advance and tonight we talked about rules at dinner.   Rules that everyone in the family would follow.  

The children helped define the rules (with guidance).   But they had some good ideas.   We tried to keep it simple so there weren’t so many things to think about.   For instance, “We treat others the way we would like to be treated”.   This encompasses a lot, but is said in a few words.  We also decided on, “We always use polite and kind words.”

Tomorrow we need to talk about the contract we’ll each have and the reward and consequence for each thing on the contract.   Each of our contracts will be different.   My son’s for instance, will include completing all daily work assignments at school as one of his three items.

Tomorrow we’re going to try and finish our contracts up.   We’ll see what the children have as suggestions for what should be on my and my husband’s contracts.

The Big Boy Update:  My son watched, for the second time, the first Harry Potter movie last night.   He and my husband are watching the second one now.   He was a little scared when he watched it the first time a few years ago.   He’s really enjoying the movies now.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter helped me make two more dog tug toys last night for friends of ours that have dogs.   We cut sections of three inches by three yards of felt in three colors, braid them together and add some knots in the middle.   Our dog loves hers.  Zivy, whom we gave one to to today apparently likes hers from the picture Morgan sent of her pulling on it.