Night of Consequences

I don't normally post, but since we're not watching a movie tonight, I thought of doing this instead.
Our kids are absolutely fabulous.  Some of the best kids I've ever known, seriously!  But they go through spurts that make you wonder how they get there.  Tonight was a night of being not only out there, but way out there.  The kids behavior needs a bit of help.  Tonight is just one of those steps of parenthood.  Millie is listening to the Spirit and feeling she needs to micromanage less, to tell the kids once and let the consequences follow according to their actions.  I came home around 5:30 to Mills making dinner and the boys appeared to be doing whatever they wanted.  Normally I'd get upset at them and put them to work helping mom or doing what they'd been asked, but Millie told me her method and I supported that.  Trying a new way isn't easy!

Here's Allen at 11 years old saying his room (this and the next picture with Gideon) are pretty good for his assignment of a clean room.

 

 

 

Here is Allen playing with a ball instead of cleaning his room to what he knows is expected.

 

 

 Here is the three boys playing instead of doing what they are suppose to.

Here's Momma in all her hotness making three different types of dough with various toppings for our family of allergics.

Allen after returning to his room: bed mostly made, and ...nose back in a book...pokemon comics.

Gideon and Lincoln made some progress, but not much.  Lincoln is playing with toys instead of cleaning up his floor and making his bed.

Gideon is clearly working hard on his room.  Also with a pokemon book.

Lincoln left his room to play in the toy area and Lilli followed.

 

Linc leaves and Lilli climbs.  She's an amazing little climber.  It's cute to watch her get mad when she cannot climb to where she wants to go.  I know this would freak a few parents out, especially the pediatricians out there, but we're good with it.  She's learning.

Lilli's been climbing this chair for a while now.  Her little perch.

 

 And you can tell she doesn't love it too much up there.

So, Millie has finished all the pizza's while I kept Lilli occupied or worked on the dishes.  By this time of 8:00 the boys have been "working" on their rooms for over 2.5 hours!  Honestly, I don't think I saw more than a collective 15 minutes out of any of them.  So, I call the boys for dinner.  All three say, "Coming Dad."  All three come to me like normal and say, "Yes Dad?"  I state it's time for dinner as I walk back to helping in the kitchen.  They look at a table not set, and one of them (I think Gideon) says on his way to a distracting soccer ball, "Mom, can I sit on the end (of the table on a chair instead of sitting on the bench next to his brothers)?"  But he doesn't wait for a reply or have Mom's attention when he asks.  Here's Gideon and Lincoln playing soccer in the living room.

 Here's Allen pretending to be reading pokemon to Lilli, but really just sticking his nose in the book... again.



 

Now it is 8:20.  Mom and I sat down at 8:00 with our pizza's, had a blessing, and ate.  The boys saw us but didn't react.  FYI: we ALWAYS eat as a family.  At one point Gideon walks to the edge of the table and says, "Pizza, pizza, pizza!" but makes no action to get a plate and join us.  Our desire was to have the kids in bed by 8:30.  Now, keep in mind that Friday night is usually our "Family Fun Night."  We may go out to the town Movie Under the Stars, or eat our pizza and watch a movie at home, or play table games, etc.  If the boys had finished their small task of room cleaning quickly and helped in the kitchen as is typically what happens with way too much reminding to keep them on task, then we likely would have started a movie around 6:30.  But, at 8:20 it's time to get ready for bed.  So, I call the boys.  "Coming Dad."  I take a picture of their cuteness as they play together, completely oblivious of the consequence they've earned.  They went from happy to tantrum in seconds.  After this photo, I started a short video and announced it was time to get in pajamas and brush teeth. 

 

Their consequence?  Rooms are still messy.  They did things they likely won't remember.  No dinner.  No movie or games.  And, Lincoln went to bed in his street clothes because he spent all his dress and brush time screaming with his face in a couch cushion.

 

Some might say we're too hard on our kids.  I think we're not hard enough.  We're learning with them.  Sometimes lessons aren't fun.  Either way, our consequences will always follow our actions.  I wonder how many blessings from MY Heavenly Father I miss out on because of my actions or lack thereof!  How many of my actions from years gone by have made a difference in my current life and to what extent?  It's a hard life, but a "Wonderful Life!"