Monday Madness: July 16, 2007

July 16, 2007

1. Do you feel that children these days are disciplined enough?
oh boy. here we go with some controversial. =P i'm going to answer based on my experience with children as a daycare provider, because i obviously can't answer as a parent. -- no, i do not think that children are disciplined enough these days. for so many reasons. i think people live in fear of being abuse accusations. i think that we are told over & over so many times about building up kids' self esteem through praise, that discipline gets left by the way-side as "negativity," which is an unfortunate disservice to children, who are no longer being guided in how to properly behave & respect. i think we just don't want to be the "bad guy." and i think it's very tiring & demanding to be as consistent as one needs to be in areas such as discipline.

2. What are your thoughts about the "time out chair?"
i think it works to a degree, but i also believe that, like anything else, when it is overused or not used correctly, it is completely ineffective.

3. When YOU were a child, what form of discipline did your parents use most often?
my father & grandparents were firm believers in a quick swat on the backside when warranted, but more often than not with me, discipline consisted of a stern "talking to," and being sent to my room. i rarely ever misbehaved to the point where withdrawal of privileges needed to be enforced, and i was *never* grounded. it was punishment enough for me to have my father or gram say they were disappointed in me.

4. Did your parents have to constantly remind you of the guidelines they set for you, or did they just have to LOOK at you as a "gentle" reminder?
there wasn't a whole lot or reminding going on. there was definite use of The Look though! and you didn't get many chances. if you were told once & continued the inappropriate behavior, you got The Look. if you didn't get yourself back in line at that point, Dad did what he said he'd do, whether it was turn around & go home, or lose a treat, or whatever consequences he stated at the get-go.

5. What are your thoughts about screaming kids in public places?
sometimes kids melt down for any number of reasons. i do think that if you can't get the situation back in control in a reasonable amount of time, then the best thing to do is make an exit, whether that means going to a more private location, stepping outside, retreating out to the car, going back home, whatever. there's no reason other people should have to be subjected to a screaming tantrum. also, in my experience, sometimes that helps, whether it's the change of environment or the fact that the child realizes you mean business.

6. What do you feel is the BIGGEST mistake parents make when it comes to disciplining children?
*not* doing it enough or consistently. or trying too hard to be a friend, and not the parent.

and one i meant to get to but didn't...
June 25, 2007

1. How many times a month/year do you see the sunrise?
while i am often awake before the sun is up, i am not usually outside that early. i maybe see one a month or so. the last one i saw was in June, when i was on my way to the airport for my trip up to Connecticut.

2. How many times a week/month do you see the sunset?
i see it fairly often. probably two or three times a week, at least.

3. Do you go out at night and "gaze" at the stars?
occasionally. i don't usually set out with that goal in mind, but if i step outside & the night is clear, they will catch my eye, and then i will just look for a bit.

4. Do you ever look for star clusters, such as the big dipper, etc?
i can almost always find Orion without hardly even looking. the rest i barely ever see, even if they are pointed out to me.

5. Do you look for planets at night (with or without a telescope)?
if i happen to hear about one being particularly visible, and if i happen to be outside and remember, i will look.

6. Are you able to see the northern lights where you live? If so, about how often do they come around?
nope. no northern lights in Florida.

7. Do you like going outside during a thunderstorm and watching the lightening?
not so much. the lightning here in Florida is pretty intense. i will watch it from the inside sometimes though, unless the storm is right overhead.