Trying a new thing...

In this day and age, we seem to try new things all the time.

So... Im joining in. Im trying something new.
Annie has been in counseling now for 4 or 5 sessions. The first session, I mistakenly took the twins and they ran all over the church and I wasn't able to contain them. It was hard to talk to the counselor when the twins were running everywhere and I had to continuely break conversation to deal with the twins.

This whole counseling thing came about b/c Annie has to be tested for learning disabilities. She struggles in school. She does not read on a 5th grade level. She does not write on a 5th grade level. My grandma tutors Annie every day after school. So, we tried to get the testing that Annie needs done through the EAP from my employer. Didn't happen. Instead they set her up with a counselor. I wasn't opposed to the idea and so I went along with it.

The 2nd meeting Annie had, I dropped her off. When I went back to get her, the counselor wanted to talk to me. However, I had left Sammy and the twins in the van for the 2 seconds it was going to take for me to let Annie know I was there and waiting for her.

The 3rd visit, I had spoken to my parents about not being able to talk to the counselor about Annie, so they have agreed to watch the twins so Annie and I can both learn from this counseling experience. We discussed dos and don'ts of blended families. I got one basic goal out of this... JC has to discipline his own child, and I do the discipline for my children. Sounds kind of odd, but we are going to try it.
JC is very authoritarian. I am very Lazifair. This doesn't mean the kids dont have to listen to the other parent, just that the other parent isn't going to make the punishment or discipline call. This was really hard for JC at first. It went against everything he had been taught.

The 4th visit, went much better... I am to look for a book about Love and Logic... when kids leave you speechless. It promotes NO yelling. I am going to try it. I will see how we do.
Basic principle is that you simply say to your child "I love you too much to argue with you"

I am on a quest to find this book... so I can learn more and hopefully become a better parent!