Judah the Superhero

After asking Judah three times to clean his room and seeing no results, I decided to apply one of Danny Silk's strategies. Here's how the conversation went:

"Hey Judah, feel free to take as long as you need to pick up your room. I just need you to get it cleaned up before you leave it."

"Mommy, when you say that, it makes me want to leave my room."

"It does?"

"Yeah."

Moments later, as I'm cleaning up the kitchen, I hear Judah upstairs saying,

"Cleaning like a superhero! It will be done in no time!"

Once he's finished (which is a matter of minutes), he says, "Maaaaaaah-meeeee, come and check out what IIIIIIIIII did!"

I drop everything and say, as I'm climbing the stairs, "Are you telling me your room is picked up? No way. That was too fast. I guess I'll see . . . OH MY GOSH, JUDAH!?! You picked up your room THAT FAST?!? Wow! You must be a superhero!"

"Yep. I am," he boasts.

Danny Silk rocks. Check out his new website: http://lovingonpurpose.com and get the MP3 download "Loving our kids on purpose." It will revolutionize your world. It's all about preserving the connection (the love relationship) and raising responsible kids.

The thing I'm employing right now with Miss Miriam when she's crying and begging me to hold her is to say, "Miriam, do you want me to hold you? Then you need to stop crying. Mommy will hold you as soon you stop crying." She immediately pulls it together before I pick her up. Amazing. I learned how to help my almost two-year-old establish self-control from my friend Shyla at http://motheringingrace.blogspot.com. Shyla's the proud mother of six--with one on the way.

Ever since Judah prayed for me, I've had a lot more self-control, too. I had started getting frustrated easily and shouting about everything. I finally sat down with Judah and prayed for him to be a better big brother (after he hurt his sister--again) and asked him to pray that I would be a better mommy. He said, "God, please help mommy to stop shouting at me so much." God answered his prayer right away. Even when I want to yell, I'm able to say, "Judah, go in the other room please" until I cool down. Amazing.

Ask, and it will be given to you--even if you're only four.