Aug 10, 2008

I'm so mean!!

There are times when I totally love living in my very small townette. It's not a town, it's not a village. It's mostly farm country out here unless you live on the main drag where I'm at. No stores. No mailmans to deliver the mail. And there are times when I despise living in such a little place that there are hardly any kids in the area. My kids are the youngest in this little stretch. And the neighbors really need to learn to mind their own business because they are so damn nosey it's driving me crazy and the state troopers as well. I'm sure of it.

Since summer vacation first started back in June they have yet to clean their room. They do go to summer school half days as well. Yet they have refused to clean their room. I had it yesterday. Told them after breakfast they had until 8pm to get the toys picked up. the papers, the books and the dirty clothes downstairs so I could wash them up. I told them if I had to go up there and do it myself they would not like it. They would lose whatever was on the floor. End of story. I sent them up many times through out the day to clean their room. After dinner I told them it was 6pm and they had 2 hours to get it done. Otherwise I would come up there and everything on the floor would become mine. The toy box would be locked and turned around. The books would be packed in a box. Until they learn to clean their room when told. 7:30 I go up and they are horseplaying, have Sam's toddler bed apart (they took the side rails off the bed and the mattress), pillows and blankets all over the floor and not one toy that I could tell was placed in the toy box. I set the timer and told them they now had a half hour. Told them if they were at least cleaning it up when the timer went off I would help. If I found them playing I would take everything away. I go up every ten minutes to find them playing. I gave warning every time. Timer goes off. I go up and they are jumping off the top bunk onto the floor. Thankfully Sam was jumping off the bottom bunk. I come downstairs get garbage bags. I go up and start {throwing out} bagging up the toys. One thought that I was putting Curtis in a boiling pot of water, or plucking his hairs out one by one or actually thought he was dieing. Cause 15 mins into this a state boy shows up on my doorstep. Curtis was having a meltdown. He did not want to clean his room so I did what I told him I would do. He called my bluff and I did what I said I was going to do. State boy asked what was going on cause of course when he pulled up he heard the screaming. I explained. He asked to see the kids since they were still upstairs. I called the kids down. Curtis still crying. Gregory told the state boy what I was doing up there. He told me to do what I got to do and carry on! And said he was sorry for coming out here but he has to investigate calls of suspected child abuse.
I can count on one hand how many of the state boys have been to my house. I'm getting pretty fed up with it. Can't they make note that if they are called out to my house that I'm parenting and the neighbors are just not understanding Curtis' need to scream his head off cause he does not what me to take his toys away because he won't pick them up. I'm thinking of putting up a note to all who live here next door at the post office that says "Do you hear my kids screaming? Get the ear plugs because I'm parenting my children. Teaching them I will do what I say I will do. I tend to take toys away when they don't clean them up. I don't abuse them. If you think otherwise come spend a day at my house. Be thankful I'm teaching them lessons like this and I'm actually doing my job as Mom. There is no need to call the cops everytime I make a parenting decision cause time is being wasted for them to come out here to find no abuse going on"
Or something like that. I need to work on it though cause I'm going to put it up. I sure can't wait till we can move out of here. I know my inlaws will come over and ask before jumping the gun! And I also know Grandma would get a kick of the kids screaming over lossed toys when they didn't pick them up. In fact she gave the idea to me and backs me up everytime I have to do this!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG!!! I am so sorry you have nosey neighbors. I have had a neighbor call about me before and I was livid. I feel for you and I wish I had some good advice but I don't :(

Go see my latest blog post~I have something for you that will make you smile.

Anonymous said...

For goodness sake! Your neighbor sure jump to conclusions don't they. Good for you for following through and teaching your kids that you mean what you say.

Anonymous said...

Damn right..when people interfer when I discipline my kids I ask them if they are going to be the ones visiting them in jail because they refuse to allow me to do my job. Both my boys are drama kins extraordinaire but I refuse to allow them to grow up thinking that there are no consequences for their behavior. Absolutely not!

Trish said...

Good for you for sticking to your guns on the toys! They seem to enjoy playing with each other anyway, so they shouldn't miss them. :)

momto4kidsny said...

eeyore: I seen what you have and will get up on my blog tomarrow!

karen: I don't think my neighbors have anything better to do that sit around waiting for one of the kids to start screaming so they can call it in. I swear they are sitting in their homes phone in hand waiting!
I feel it's my job to teach my children rules are to be followed other wise there will consequences...neighbors be damned at this point.

renee: Exactly how I feel too! Clean your room or else!

Trish: For the most part they do play well with each other. Fights happen but that is all part of growing up! As for the toys it's not bothering them today!

Anonymous said...

Good for you for sticking to your word! You aren't mean, you are teaching your children that they can make choices but there might be consequences. Even kids with ADD can be taught this. And you did provide plenty of reminders as well.

Your neighbors SUCK. On the one hand it's good to know that if someone is abusing a child, your neighbors and the State Police will take the call seriously, but on the other hand, sometimes kids scream and cry when they aren't getting what they want. I'm glad the policeman understood what was happening!

Designing Hilary said...

Hang in there! It will all be worth it in a decade or so ... believe me. Discipline is the greatest expression of parental love because it benefits the child's future (and the future of the neighbors but I guess they are just too dumb to realize that).

Someday your kids will grow into fully-functional contributors to society! And they will always love their Mom because she loved them first and knew how to show it.

~Hilary

Honeybell said...

WOW! I wonder if the Statie informs the neighbor that it's only a case of a good mom and a boy with healthy lungs?

momto4kidsny said...

designing hilary: Your words of wisdom have been printed and hung on the fridge! That is my goal with my children..I just hope I reach it!! Thanks very much!!!

Honeybell: At this point I really think the Statie should notify the neighbors that I'm a good Mom with a boy with a set of healthy lungs. Because frankly it would save the tax payers money! One would think that after 5 trips that they would do this. Oh well it gives me something to blog about!