Wow.

Wow. Is my life really just about yelling at my kids all of time? I literally feel like that is all I do in a day. I have tried to calmly talk to them and help them understand why I need them to do something but it doesn't work. They just keep on doing whatever it is that they want to do, and completely ignore me. Or they say," Okay mom." and then never do what I asked them to do. The only time I get results is when I'm am in their faces yelling, threatening, and taking away every possible thing that they love in this world. Sigh.

It's exhausting. Take today for example. We have not been home for a week and the house is nasty. I designated today and clean up day. I told the kids that they were not allowed to play with friends until their chores are done. I asked them to begin by dumping their toys out and organizing them. What are they doing? Playing with their toys. There is no organizing happening. I just told them that they were going to have extra chores now. They don't care. I am super afraid that the day is going to end with spankings and groundings. I have tried the reward charts, praising, taking away privileges, yelling, telling them that I am going to give them away to the next person that comes to the door, and nothing works.I am exhausted.

I have tried to teach my children to take care of their things so we don't have a messy house. But since we have been basically living out of boxes for the last 4 months it's pretty hard to keep everything neat and tidy. They have definitely developed some bad habits. They don't clean up after themselves anymore. They can't even understand that when the laundry is clean and folded it needs to make it's journey to their drawers. Strange idea, I know.  It's really getting out of hand.

I'm really afraid that when we move into the new house that they are going to trash the place. We have worked so hard on it and I am not willing to let them ruin it.