I am strict… but it works

Last week Erin decided that it would be fun to test her boundaries. Tiredness has been the main feature in this. Erin is rubbish when she doesn’t go to bed at 7. It takes her about a week to get over it. She needs sleep.  This week has been my fault as we went camping on Saturday and apart from it being a logistical nightmare… it wasn’t dark enough or quiet enough for Erin to sleep- she fell asleep at 10.15pm. Queue Erin waking at 6.15am… 9 am comes and she is a grump.

We got to mid-morning, she is flagging. Both Matt and I are fed up of hearing the sound of our own voice- I sound like a strict teacher. I don’t want to have to tell her to walk properly or eat her breakfast or to sit still. I want to have fun.

The reason I am telling her is to let her know she can’t get away with pushing her luck just because she’s tired. She won’t be able to go to work when she’s 18 and say to her boss… ‘Sorry I told you I wasn’t going to do my job, I’m tired’. It wouldn’t wash.  My boss certainly wouldn’t appreciate it.

I am pretty intolerant of naughty kids. I ensure that I keep Erin on the straight and narrow. My mum was strict with me as a child and it hasn’t done me any harm. I’m not as strict as my mum but I am still forceful and won’t take any messing.

The only thing that bothers me is people telling me to not be as strict. Matt himself is a nightmare for this. He is constantly telling me I am too harsh on her. I don’t agree- I put rules in place for a reason and I genuinely believe that Erin thrives off routine and having those rules in place.

I am strict… but it works. People often tell me how well behaved she is. I don’t back down and most of the time (exceptional circumstances excused) Then I always stick to my word. It has been known for me to have walked out in the middle of a party as that was my threat, but it worked.

I don’t beat her. I speak to her. If she doesn’t listen she stands in the naughty corner for 5 minutes to think about what she is or isn’t doing. It works and until it fails me I will continue. I am this way because I love her and I want people to enjoy being around her. It won’t change.