Sweet Addie

I love my babies dearly, but I have to say it's often more than challenging to raise independent, free-thinking children, and not have their independent spirit bite you in the rear! My oldest, who is merely 4, is by far my hardest challenge. he has so much of me in him that it truly takes me by surprise sometimes! He is so sweet, very empathetic to others feelings, outgoing, and is always on the hunt for his newest "best friend". He is also exhaustive in his unending energy and usually too smart for his own good. He has taken up the habit of screaming in a very high pitched voice when he doesn't get his way (which is beyond irritating, and I'm very quickly losing all patience for it!), and his protests can turn into an emotional train wreck as fast as you can blink! he quite frankly has been acting like a spoiled little brat lately!

So what to do, what to do? I'm running out of ideas here folks. We've tried all the typical things like, time-out, taking away privileges, etc. My kid is not so typical (I know, I know I'm the momma so of course I think that about MY child!). Example, after a grueling battle of wills, I told him I was going to throw the T.V away! No more, it's gone, good-bye T.V! That should really make him tremble I thought! Well, he calmly looks me in the eye and says, "the T.V is too big to fit in the garbage can, mom."

Uh, hello dummy! Duh! I seriously I had nothing to say to that! Which is why I'm taking a different tactic now.

Our family is "adopting" a child. I don't need anymore mouths to feed, and I'm not Mrs. Jolie, so we are going to adopt by way of the Christian Children's Fund instead. Maybe the kids are too young, but i think it can't hurt to start teaching them to help others now. I want them to learn to be thankful for what they have, and realize that many other children have far less than they do.

I do know this isn't going to be a magic cure for my four year old's displays of entitlement, but I hope it will plant a seed of awareness and thankfulness.