Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Princess Training 101

No, we are not going to Disney Land... it's nothing as exciting as that. ;0)

Ladies and gentlemen- we have a hitter.
I know, I was in horror too. But it’s true.
I cannot deny it.
Well actually,
I tried.
The first time we got the note home from the teacher I was just SURE it had to be the ‘other kids fault’.
Not my little girl.
Surely she wouldn’t hit anyone...?
But the second time the note came home, I knew it was time to face the music.
So… we came up with Princess training 101.
What is princess Training 101 you ask?
(Let me explain- even if you were not really going to ask)

Hitting seems to be second nature to preschool aged kids. Someone makes them mad- they just haul off and hit them (or kick or pinch or bite). So while I know this is common, and I know this is probably what she witnessed a lot of in the past-we also wanted her to learn a new way of handling stressful situations.

This is where Princess Training 101 came in.

We sat down with our little cherub, cuddled her and turned on Cinderella. While watching the show we constantly pointed out how sweet and kind Cinderella was to everyone. Even when people were unkind to her she always acted in a sweet, kind, loving princess way. Then we watched the mean step sisters. We watched how they made ugly faces, said unkind words to get their way, pointed out how the way they acted was rude, selfish and just plain mean. Then we asked her which character she wanted to be.
She of course said Cinderella!
"I want to be Cinderella mommy!"
So, I gentle asked her who she had been acting like when she was at school talking ugly to her friends and hit them.
You could have heard a pin drop in the room as the realization hit her.
She admitted that she had been acting like the mean step sisters when she treated her class mates that way.
I reminded her that while we all make mistakes, its very important that we realize our mistakes and then begin to work hard on correcting them and that was exactly what we expected of her now.

Since I like to reward hard work- hard changes- we came up with something that Lainey is extremely excited about. We made up a chart that is on our refrigerator door. Each day that Lainey comes home with a smiley face from her teacher indicating a good day- where she didn’t hit or talk ugly to someone- she gets to put a crown on that day. Once she has 30 crowns she will get to dress in any princess dress she chooses (we have about every single one thanks to garage sales!) and her daddy and I will take her, all by herself, dressed like a princess, out to dinner, to any restaurant she chooses.

I’m proud to admit we have had 8 consecutive days with no hitting and no talking ugly. (Actually her teacher even emailed me to tell me she is doing really well and that a little girl had hit her and Lainey just walked away!)
Yep- she is definitely my precious princess (in training). :0)

34 comments:

Unknown said...

LOVE IT SISTER!

Valerie said...

Perfect timing, as we are on day # (well, by now I have lost track) of any number of offenses at preschool -- hitting, biting, "Kung Fu Panda" (my three-year-old son's words, not mine), or something like that to his friends. I am so not proud. We have tried everything as his parents (and I am known for being more of a strict, no funny business mama), and I am running out of ideas! Surely there is a way I can apply this same idea but for a boy...?

Unknown said...

Ok, that is totally precious!!!

Love the idea and will be watching Cinderella tomorrow with our girls.

Hugs and tell Lainey we are so proud of her too!

Blessings and hugs,
Jill

Angela :-) said...

That's a fantastic idea. Unfortunately, my son who needs "prince training 101" might possibly be cognitively unable to get the concept. Maybe I'll try, though.

Angela :-)

Amy Clemons said...

Creative intervention!!!!! I loveit!

Recovering Noah said...

I am SO stealing that idea! I'm going to somehow have to convince Eli that it's much more exciting to be a Diplodocus than a T-Rex. But at least you've got me thinking up a plan...

Awesome idea, Amy!

Leslie :-)

Mandy said...

That is an awesome way to handle the situation!

Leah Maya Benjamin said...

Great idea! I will store it for when my little girl is older, very impressed, although disneyland would have been very exciting with your whole group!!!!

Doreen said...

Great parenting ideas , that obviously worked well!! Give your princess a good job hug for me:o) doreen

Audrey said...

Brilliant! Where do you come up with this stuff?? Is there super-mom school somewhere and no one told me? :)

Adeye said...

Oh my goodness, that is absolutely precious! What a wonderful idea in getting the message through to her in a creative way. I Love it! I may just have to steal your idea---someday :)
Adeye

Anonymous said...

Such a great idea! Did you come up with it yourself? Great, great child training!

Love reading your blog.

Kristi from Texas

Live to love and laugh said...

Good job! Eight whole days is a long time in a preschoolers life! Mommy must be very proud of her princess in training. Keep up the hard work Lainey!

Pedro and Felis Patlan said...

That is a really neat idea...that would work with my girls...but my problem child is my boy...now I will have to figure out how to find a really COOL character that boys like that is a good character..LOL!

But I do know that my son would love the idea of a date night with me after good behavior. I will have to try that. :)

Cindy said...

VERY good idea Mom!

Unknown said...

I dreamed last night that I was at your house taking notes and dwatching everything that was going on. Sounds like I should live that out in real life. Good job God for giving you that idea!

Instantly Mama said...

I love it! What a great idea! Definitely storing that one away for later. :)

Leanne said...

WOW!! I am not a fan of the "spoiled princess" thing - but this is brilliant. I love it.

Anonymous said...

You are so creative and I admire that about you! So glad to hear that Lainey is doing so well! I am sure that she is going to earn her thirty stickers in no time flat! What an awesome parent you are....
Heather

Barry and Amy said...

That's just great!!

Amy said...

Love this creative correction! - now I'm trying to think of a boy movie that would work for this too. :)

hello somebody said...

That is an awesome idea!!! We will be using that idea in the future! Love it

Mary Ann said...

GREAT idea!!!! Love it!

Shonni said...

so cute...what a good "visual" to give her.

The gFamily said...

What a great idea! I may have to use that someday when my little girl is old enough! Now, what should I do for two brothers who are constantly hitting each other? Hmmmmmm....

Holly said...

How creative and insightful Amy!
No wonder God has entrusted all these amazing kiddos to you!!

Anonymous said...

You seem to be an expert at coming up with great ideas! Could you give me a clue on what to do for disrespecting 15 & 17 year old princesses with tarnished crowns? HELP!!
Cousin Ellen

Andrea Hill said...

Wow Amy you rock! I would have never ever come up with a great idea like that but surely will remember this idea for the rest of my life and use it on my daughter when the day comes.

Trish said...

Love that idea, will have to use it on my girls. I'm always inspired by your blog, keep up the great work that you do!

Elizabeth said...

That is a way cool solution!!! I am going to have to figure out a way to use that with my preschoolers that I teach!! I must begin to think....

Martie said...

Oh my goodness, this posting just talks to my heart. What a beautiful way to parent! I am just absoultely impressed. THANK YOU for sharing.

Martie
(mom to 9)

Amie said...

what a clever idea! I love it. And how proud she will be when she fills up her chart and gets to go out on a special date with her daddy... do very sweet!

:)
Amie

Faith, Family, Future said...

What a fantastic idea!!!!

I just found your blog and love it. You have a beautiful family. We have a lot in common and I would love to talk to you sometime in one of your many "free moments"!!!

We only have 6 blessings so far but our families are similar as is our faith.

God bless and thank you so much for sharing openly.
Tammy

Pam said...

hum... I will have to think and pray about this one... my little princess is not going to preschool anymore becuase of her behavior... hum...