The advantage to having the 17 year old around is that she is another pair of eyes, and more importantly, another pair of hands when dealing with the three little children. My beloved little girl, who could throw a 90 mile an hour fast ball with the cat attached to it, is a dancer, a great baseball player (no kidding, like you couldn’t see that coming), and as quick as the cat she used to bounce down the steps (actually she is a lot faster, as evidenced by who caught whom.) She is now 17 with a driver’s license and a car. She is a young woman in all respects, and most importantly she is the largest enigma in the other three kids’ lives, not to mention mine. She is as ancient as “Ms. Soandso” at day care, and she is a whole lot meaner. (Of course, this is because she has the same plan as the others: To be an only child, again!)
She assists in the punishment to the extent that if one of the other three does something in her presence, she tightens them up. No drill sergeant in the world could hold a candle to her ability to let the other three know her displeasure. She is so skilled at this that I know she will do well as a parent herself, as soon as she learns how to shoot a bazooka. Subtle?? No way!! If you commit a transgression, then BOOM, you are in intensive care for at least a week after her shoe is removed from your posterior. This is not the same child who doesn’t listen to a damn thing I tell her, unless it is the location of my wallet or the keys to my car. I must admit, under duress, that this beloved cat tosser is irreplaceable assistance in my adjustment to parenting a nation of munchkins.
I attribute her success to the popularity she holds with her step-siblings. When she comes in the house, they all run up and hug her and tell her nice things. They all want to hug and kiss her, and they constantly want to know where she is and what she is doing. This tells me that secretly they are plotting to kill her. The 3 year old is especially dangerous, since according to my 17 year old, the little one is trying to steal her boyfriend. See, even the almost adult ones in my house sleep with one eye open......................
As for punishment, good luck. It seems that the only people who ever really get punished are the parents. If you spank, then busted blood vessels in the hand are a problem, not to mention those crying jags that seem to follow every spanking. (One of these days I hope to get used to those broken blood vessels and then maybe I won’t cry ...... ) If you ground them from TV, or other privileges, then you are stuck with one kid who is now off doing some damage out of your sight while you watch the other two. The only way this works is to divide and conquer or punish them all and let God sort them out. I prefer the latter method since divide and conquer cuts both ways, and given half a chance the children will cut you going and coming. Just remember rule number one, never divide your forces, unless you are on the offensive and seldom are parents ever on the offensive. In spite of what teenagers think .......... We too sleep with one eye open.....
She assists in the punishment to the extent that if one of the other three does something in her presence, she tightens them up. No drill sergeant in the world could hold a candle to her ability to let the other three know her displeasure. She is so skilled at this that I know she will do well as a parent herself, as soon as she learns how to shoot a bazooka. Subtle?? No way!! If you commit a transgression, then BOOM, you are in intensive care for at least a week after her shoe is removed from your posterior. This is not the same child who doesn’t listen to a damn thing I tell her, unless it is the location of my wallet or the keys to my car. I must admit, under duress, that this beloved cat tosser is irreplaceable assistance in my adjustment to parenting a nation of munchkins.
I attribute her success to the popularity she holds with her step-siblings. When she comes in the house, they all run up and hug her and tell her nice things. They all want to hug and kiss her, and they constantly want to know where she is and what she is doing. This tells me that secretly they are plotting to kill her. The 3 year old is especially dangerous, since according to my 17 year old, the little one is trying to steal her boyfriend. See, even the almost adult ones in my house sleep with one eye open......................
As for punishment, good luck. It seems that the only people who ever really get punished are the parents. If you spank, then busted blood vessels in the hand are a problem, not to mention those crying jags that seem to follow every spanking. (One of these days I hope to get used to those broken blood vessels and then maybe I won’t cry ...... ) If you ground them from TV, or other privileges, then you are stuck with one kid who is now off doing some damage out of your sight while you watch the other two. The only way this works is to divide and conquer or punish them all and let God sort them out. I prefer the latter method since divide and conquer cuts both ways, and given half a chance the children will cut you going and coming. Just remember rule number one, never divide your forces, unless you are on the offensive and seldom are parents ever on the offensive. In spite of what teenagers think .......... We too sleep with one eye open.....
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