Parenting as a Christian Single Dad

I have been using the chart for a few days now and it is doing okay. Madalyn has already learned to manipulate it by saying "thankyou" alot to put a sticker on that section. Don't worry I am not giving in and letting her have her rewards until she has really earned it...

A recent comment from a visitor has inspired me to put together a behavior chart so... HERE it is. I hope I did not go over board but I am really excited to give it a try. I wish Madalyn was here right now. (She would probably tear it off the wall :-( ) It has 3 parts: The first section is for basic habits I am trying to encourage, like handwashing, using "please" and "thankyou", and not throwing a fit. The next section deals with when Madalyn does good thing like put her clothes in the dirty hamper or her shoes in the closet. She is kind of funny and I don't know where she gets it but I can be walking in house after her and she immediately begins leaving a trail of clothes, shoes, etc to her room. Messy little girl :-) She can color or put a sticker in the spot on the lady bug. Once it is complete she will get a treat. This is the hardest part for me because I am not good at punishment. I spoil her too much and maybe that is part of the reason I am having prob...

Six men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks. Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes. There is no fast food. Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean , correct all homework ,complete science projects , cook , do laundry, and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money. In addition , each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week. Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives , and send cards out on time. Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment , a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment. He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care (weekend , evening , on a holiday or right when they're about to leave for vacation). He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function. Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house , planting flowers outsid...

We had a nice surprise recently and grandma and grandfather paid Madalyn and I a visit. It is always nice to see Madalyn interact with them. She does such a good job it makes me wonder whos kid she is. She got a new princess crown and some other play stuff so now I have to call her "princess". Silly little girl. Lately she acts more like a bully than a princess. We went to a wedding reception and the kids were dancing, sort of, on the dance floor and Madalyn grabs this little girl and shoves her on the ground. I could not believe what I just saw... We left after that and she would not discuss it with me as "why" she did it. She simply threw a fit for having to leave. I feel like I am losing her. Is this part of being 3 or am I doing something wrong? I try to discipline her and it doesn't always work but I am trying to be consistent. She has even started to taunt me about spanking her butt. She sticks it out and and says, "spank me daddy." ...

Here is a new one for me but I imagine that almost every parent has had to deal with at some point. The TEMPER TANTRUM… I have seen Madalyn throw her fits but last night was one I never have seen before. I considered spanking her little butt. I mean she went from room to room throwing herself down on the ground screaming. This went on for 20 minutes. I know first you are thinking “Jason how could you let this go on for so long?” She just would not stop or listen to me. It brought back memories of me as a child. I fear the worst. She is going to be stubborn like her daddy. After last night I realized that I may not be in control and she is testing me. With all the controversy on spanking I was not sure what to do. I don’t want to hurt her but the bible says “…spare the rod, spoil the child.” Actually the bible has a lot to say on the subject "Withhold not correction from a child: for if thou strike him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and...

I think I may be raising a prepared daughter. Not only does she carry her chapstic, comb, and other essentials in her purse but she also carries an extra pair of underwear. What a good little girl. Now I just hope she got them out of her closet and not the dirty clothes. ha-ha. What fun she is, kids can be very amazing or maybe I am easy to amaze. God Bless