Twenty Minutes

That’s how long Lil’man was in a time out for this morning.

Today my hubby left just before 7 AM to go to his class to get his concealed weapon carry permit. It’s an all day class and we have been waiting for this opportunity for what seems like ages! The class costs $75 plus the $100 for a background check. So needless to say we had to save up for it! I was hoping that Lil’man would still be asleep because I wanted to still be asleep. So I asked, unfortunately the response was not what I wanted and I was forced to get up at that point! BOO. I was so tired! I haven’t been sleeping well for the past few days!

I knew I needed to clean my house – I had let things slide this week. The cat box needed to be cleaned desperately, the dishes had been left from last night, I needed to vacuum, fold the load of laundry that has been sitting in the dryer for a week (I found the shirt I was looking for all week – go figure), the bathrooms needed cleaning, the kitchen floor needs swept and mopped, the dining room table has become a “I have no place else to put this so I’ll just set it here with all this other crap” pile, the coffee table looked like a landfill with several empty water bottles on it, there were throw blankets on each of the couches that needed to be folded, not to mention the schlew of toys that were strung around the living and dining rooms, AND I have been wanting to get outside and pull the weeds that have become a jungle in my front yard. UH I had a ton to do and expected Lil’man to help me out! He had other plans!

As I’m telling him of the things I need HIM to do (clean the cat box, pick up his toys and clean his room up) he starts FREAKING OUT! “You’re mean! I don’t want to!!!” On and on and on, in that whiney voice that just gets under my skin like nothing else can. Orange Rhino… ORANGE RHINO!!! We had been playing the same orange rhino game that the creator does (except Lil’man likes blue) but we say blue rhino. As I saw him getting more and more frustrated I calmly said “blue rhinoceros buddy” – “NO BLUE RHINOCERUS I DON’T’ WANT TO PLAY BLUE RHINOCERUS TODAY!” he screams

That’s IT – You’re in timeout. Sit your butt down in this chair – right now. I actually said this without screaming it! “10 minutes buddy” and I set the timer on my phone. Then began the fight for control! I was determined to win – with logic and a calm manner!

He started screaming and kicking – I reset the timer. He continued to scream and kick – I took away a point (we have a point scale thanks to CLASSDOJO.COM his teacher introduced it to her class when I was volunteering and I decided to use it at home). This made him even more mad and the kicking and screaming continued – I reset the timer again. I think I reset the timer about 6 times. He finally figured out that every time he got crazy I reset the time and THAT meant more time sitting there! He finally stopped the kicking and screaming and after 20 minutes the timer finally went off.

Not ONCE did I yell. I did have to get VERY stern BUT I did it!!! I DID IT!!!

Over the past 4 days I have felt so great! There is a peace and joy in my house that hasn’t been here in a while! I love this not yelling challenge. I have been sharing through Facebook about my successes and failures. I have such a huge support there. Nearly all of my friends are supporting me and even a few have joined the challenge with me! At least once a day I get “What’s Orange Rhino?” and I get the privilege of sharing this amazing opportunity with them! Even my mother told me how proud she was of me and how awesome she thought it was that I was doing this. “This is going to change your life and his!” my mother told me. Yes mom, yes it is!!!

It feels so good to see that “3 day’s since” on my counter! I’ve gone 3 days (officially – today will be 4) without yelling! Thank you Lord for leading me to this! I know that He wants me to do this. We are meant to be loving and nurturing not ruthless and cruel! God is a loving god and wants us to be like him, so why not parent like Him?