I want to start over sometimes. As a parent, I want to take the knowledge I have today and redo yesterday. Wouldn’t that be awesome?

Think of all the therapy we’d save down the road, for everyone involved.

I have certain things I believe in as a parent:

• Boundaries
• Consistency
• Meaning what I say/Saying what I mean

All while staying connected with them.

But, I’ve faltered a bit. I’ve focused some significant energy on one kid who had real apparent needs for structure. At the same time, I’ve let the “easier kid” creep up into the “getting away with murder” category. What happened?
I don’t want to be too hard on myself, but when you falter in this regard as a parent and you want to reinstitute these standards, it’s a whole sh%tload of work ALL OVER AGAIN. You have to wipe the slate clean and reestablish EVERYTHING about house rules, consequences, warnings, responses, honesty, etc.

I need to hit the reset button.

We are working on some things with our once-the-easy-kid-now-my-biggest-challenge-kid while we are reinforcing current standards with that other kid that pushes buttons in other ways. It will be hard to hold strong when the 10 year old can have responsibilities and freedoms that 10 year olds have and the 7 year old cannot do the same. Tears will be had. Doors will be slammed. Calm, broken-record mommies will persist.

Years ago, when Andrew was at his most challenging, we hunkered down and promised that we’d persist, that we’d always out-stubborn the most frustrating child tantrums. And we did. But it was the minor things we missed while addressing the big ones.

It’s back on again. The reset button has been pushed. Family rules are being restated, electronic devices are going on mommy lock down, reading times will be reestablished, quality family time prioritized, and all around Captaining of the Ship by the mommies in full effect.

Reset.