Discipline

I am struggling to find an effective way to discipline Nicholas. I really don't want to smack him, especially since the 'naughty' things he does aren't bad - mostly it involves throwing my things on the floor or completely ignoring me when I say no.

I tried putting him in his bed, no toys or distractions, and he could be heard happily chatting with himself. On several occasions he even put himself to sleep!

Now we are trying the 'naughty corner' idea. This is getting maybe 20% success (in the sense that he cries and wants to go) but he still mostly chatters to himself and seems quite happy to sit there. He sits in the hall, separated from whatever I am doing, facing the corner, nothing to look at or play with, but still he doesn't seem bothered to be there. Of course, that makes it a poor punishment.

I really can't think of anything else that is age-appropriate...

Not to say that he is a really naughty boy, just that there are a couple of things he does - like throwing the entire contents of my desk on the floor whenever he gets within grasping distance - that are not nice and I want to discourage. Argh!

Mothers Day and Assignments

I can't explain why I am always so absolutely USELESS at completing an assignment before the due date! I have been frantically studying this weekend to complete an assignment that has to be finished today.

Unfortunately I have wasted hours going round in circles because in my panic to get it done as quickly as possible I seem to keep forgetting about key facts that would have let me spend 1/4 of the time getting to the same answer. Then there are the dreaded computer-based questions. AHHHH!

Thus I have not been doing much with Nicholas the last few days, which he is dealing with remarkably well.

He allowed me a lie-in until 8.15 on Sunday - he was up from 7.30, but was happy to play quietly. Unfortunately 'play quietly' was later understood to mean 'decorate the hall with the contents of my handbag'.

He then got me out of bed by signing and saying the word 'food' - he was a massive quarter of an hour late for breakfast and couldn't possibly wait another second. But I was more than happy to oblige, as he had foregone the usual whinging for *something* and used words and signs! Yey!

We had a lovely elevenses at Auntie V's, and Nikki gave me a beautifully decorated card, as well as a wrist-pincushion (so useful!) which, ironically, was exactly what I had made for my mother!

The rest of the day was spent studying (with a little play mixed in!) and Nicholas also decided he likes chicken... which meant I had to sacrifice half of my dinner to him as his second dinner. I swear that child is more than half a hobbit!