Mumbling about Manners and Meltdowns

In our home we burp, belch, fart, and well... many, many other disgusting things that we needn't go into detail about. However, we are teaching our children that manners are important. Grayson may indeed burp or fart and giggle afterwards, primarily because he takes after his father, but he will MOST of the time say excuse me.

He will say Thank You on the majority of occasions without being prompted and usually instead of saying "You're Welcome" he will reply again with a "Thank You."
This makes me soooooooo proud! He even will say, "Bless You Mommy!" And "Achoo," Grayson...when he sneezes. So freakin' cute the way he says it.

I don't demand that he uses his manners but I do give him a soft little nudge when he has forgotten to do so. I explain to him that using his manners is polite and courteous. Those are little parts of what being "Kind" is all about.

In a world where there is more negative than positive it feels, the constant struggle I am finding is teaching my kids to stay humble and kind hearted, compassionate and loving. While at the same time being an individual who is confident, strong, secure and independent.

As my babies grow, I realize more and more the dangers they will face. The hard truth that I can not be with them at all times hits me in the face like a freight train. The mere fact that as much as I would love to put them in a hazmat suit, especially G-Man, now that he is in Preschool, but realistically can't, makes me a wee bit nervous.

Those gentle moments become a fight with time grabbing them away from you as you watch helplessly while those moments slip thru your fingers.

If teaching and using manners will help to keep the thought of being kind and courteous chugging in their growing brains than YES....MANNERS are MANDATORY!

On the flip side, I would like to ask where in the Hell do these freakin' Manic Meltdowns come from? AND why must they almost always have one while you are out in public. Honestly, I know it comes with the territory but my son takes it one step further. When you go to pick him up off the floor he yells "Ow!" or "Help!" 

I already had the audience, but now I have them flocking! People are turning and gawking faster than a dog runs to his bone. I really think I will start to charge admission to these meltdowns. It doesn't embarrass me so much to have onlookers, that is not the issue. It just really annoys me. I feel there opinionated glares and my inner Ally McBeal wants to bite off their heads like a T-Rex when he hasn't eaten all day!

 

When you are a parent, you are being a role model at all times. So maybe my teenage rager would have yelled or said something sarcastic back at these onlookers, but Mommy really would be setting a not so good example if I let that inner teenage rager out to play. It has been years since she's played and is really rusty. She may say something pretty dumb anyways thinking she has made an effect, walking away proud, before later realizing she just made a total ass of herself.

It always sounds better in your head. Thus, the reason I am super fond of my inner Ally McBeal, she never disappoints and always leaves me satisfied :)

I can't tell you how many times I have gotten the advice to just ignore him or walk away and leave him there. This does not work in my situation because G-Man doesn't care if I start to walk away with the mere threat of leaving him behind. At said time of meltdown, all he wants is whatever he WANTS. Plus, have you seen the movie, Cool Runnings? My child runs that fast...Yup! As fast as a freakin' Bob Sled speeding down the ice track!

I have tried the whole kid on a leash thing and it worked temporarily ...until..he realized that he was restricted. Then that cool Owl on his back wasn't so cool anymore.

The kid is just so headstrong and fast. He has more energy than it would take to manually move this world!!!  Maybe I should bottle this and sell it!!????

Can We Please.........Leave...the ..MELTDOWNS...at home!!!!