Finding our way

One of the hardest things I think that we have come across since we have become parents is finding the correct way to appropriately discipline and reward the kids. I constantly feel like we find a good groove and then something changes. Of course, no two kids are alike and our two couldn't be more different. So that makes our approach even harder because while you want to be even across the board, each child is affected different by the outcome of their actions so that becomes another factor.

Noah is the "please everyone" type of kid. Telling him you are disappointed in him becomes the end of the world, talk about turning on the water works. He gets flustered easily and is very sensitive. But in the long run, no one is harder on him than himself and he is only 8!! I fear his teenage years because I see how much he beats himself up now when things don't go correctly. He is actually much easier to reward and discipline and he pretty toes the line as best as any 8 year old should.

Jordan, well she is a whole other story. She does what she wants, when she wants and she could care less if you are disappointed in her. She marches to beat of her own drum and isn't afraid to let the world know it. Trying to come up with ways to teach her right from wrong has been met with tears, frustrations, screaming-matches, a lot of being grounded and sometimes, just throwing in the towel. I still struggle daily with trying to find just the right thing for her but I am confident it will come to me or I will go crazy trying!!

At the end of the day, our munchkins are completely night and day and every day brings a new challenge with one of them or both of them. I know I have many days filled with stress and worry ahead but I am confident we will trudge through. Parenting is definitely not for the weak by any means!!