"Have A New Kid By Friday"

Well, you know.  Not a new kid, just a better behaved kid.

I was so skeptical when I heard about this book but after celebrating Ellie's birthday for two weeks straight, the girl thought the world revolved around her and need to know that isn't the case.  So you could say I was desperate.  And needed something to work fast.  I give Dr. Leman 5 days and he gives me a well behaved child?  Deal.

One of the first principles in this book is "say it once and walk away."  I laughed when I read it.  Out loud.  He must be joking.  I say the same thing 20 times and she doesn't listen, there is no way she'll listen when I say it just once!  But you know what?  It works.  The first time. 

Dr. Leman has excellent strategies on how to deal with all different kinds of behavior issues.  He suggests "natural consequences" vs. time-outs for punishments but has other ideas of when a time-out should be used.  Dr. Leman says that these basic strategies will work on small children all the way up to CEO's.  He comments that the earlier you can change your child's "Attitude, Behavior and Character" the easier it will be to get the results you want.

But even though Dr. Leman's principles are simple it doesn't mean this discipline strategy is easy.  It takes work.  A lot of work.  You the parent have to follow through every time or you are back to square one.  So if it means leaving a park play date after 5 minutes (which I had to do), you do it.  Because the next time you are at the park (or whatever situation) (s)he'll be better and you'll be giving yourself a high-five in your head.  ;)

Ellie still has her days, but those days are much fewer and far between and now we know how to handle the situation much better.  As the author of "Raising Your Spirited Child" writes, we are working towards progress, not perfection.  We have made tons of progress and I'm proud of us. 

Hopefully this will help someone else in their time of discipline need.  :)