{Orange Rhino Challenge} UPDATE

Well, it has been 23 days since I commited to stop yelling at my kids with The Orange Rhino Challage. Today I am on Day 2 (my kids behaved yesterday and spent most of the afternoon playing downstairs). I am writting to encourage you because as I quickly realized that this is going harder than I thought it would be. Late afternoons are super hard for us - my kids are whiney, I am tired, they don't listen so I yell. After having to start over, well about 20 times, my accountability partner and I realized that maybe it might be better to focus on a trigger to start with rather than an entire day. Genious!! Take the day off from the challenge to put a fly on the wall so to speak --- watch yourself and notice when you are most likely to yell. These are (a few) of my triggers...

• When the house get so messy I start to step on toys (especially in the kitchen at dinnertime)
• When my four year old gets hyper and acts so silly that he won't do what I've asked him to
• When my two year old thrown toys or dumps out the crayon box
• When I have to ask them to do things over and over
• When they talk back or whine when I say no

So yesterday, after a REALLY bad day the night before I decided to focus on just one thing for each child. And what I found was the entire day got better - I didn't yell yesterday, not even once. I did feel the urge once or twice - so the day wasn't a complete fluke.

Even as I am writting this and looking at my list of triggers I am beginning to realize that my kids may not be the issue - but me. When I look at my list from a perspective of TRUTH and LOVE this is what I find...

• Messy house: Kids ARE messy! This is the season of life that we are in and I should be thankful that my home is filled with noise and toys because this too shall pass and one day they will be out of my home and I will wish they were still here.
• Hyper kids: I have boys - boys are loud, and what a party-pooper am I to squash his fun and natural sense of humor. I need to loosen up!
• Throwing/Dumping toys on the floor: Really - he's two and learning about the way the world works...how things fly and things fall. I need to provide a more constructive outlet for his desire to learn, get down on the floor and play with him. Fill a bin with rice and show him how it falls from a cup. Or throw a ball with him. Again my fault not his!
• Repeating meself: This is a discipline issue that I do think needs to be worked on - make sure they are paying attention when I tell them what I would like them to do and the consequence if they don't follow through. Set the timer and walk away. No counting, no nagging, no repeating, done. They do it - great. They don't - consequence.
• Back talk/whining: No means no, and all whiners will have to go to their room until they have a better attitude. Out of my face means less yelling.

Finally, here are a few Bible verses that have helped me...

Proverbs 15:18   "A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel."
Proverbs 29:11   "Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end."
Ecclesiates 10:4b   "Calmness can lay great offenses to rest."
Proverbs 14:30a   "A heart at peace gives life to the body"
Colossians 3:15   "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."