Praise to The Boy

The Boy has been somethin' else lately, let me tell ya!!!!

Oh, don't worry, it's a GOOD kind of somethin' else.

This week I have found him teaching BuhBuh how to play Chess. He's been patient with him and they've both been nice to each other.

Also this week when Little Dude wanted out of his chair at dinner time The Boy picked him up and put him on his lap and got him to more!!!

Then after dinner and big kid showers, The Boy offered to give Little Dude the bath that he was begging for. He ran the water, got Little Dude undressed, washed him and sat with him while he played. It allowed me to get the breakfast casserole put together for Teacher Appreciation the next morning.

The past two mornings after he has gotten himself ready for school he has packed The Daddy a lunch to take with him to work. During The Daddy's "busy times" he doesn't stop to get lunch. So the last two days I think The Daddy has enjoyed having some food with him. Although he did say the The Boy packed him A LOT of candy!! LOL! I'm certain that The Daddy still ate it!! :)

I've been giving him lots of praise and telling him how much I have appreciated all of the nice things he has been doing for everyone this week and how I've especially appreciated his help and patient and time towards his younger brothers. It is such a breath of fresh air to not be nagging!!! Sometimes I feel like a grouchy mom ALL THE TIME!!!! I'd much rather be dishing out praises than punishment.

In addition to his recent help in the home, he is sporting a new sense of confidence from school too. They've been playing some tackle game at recess and several different times he has tackled some of the kids. This one kiddo who is a football player would tease the kids that The Boy would tackle saying, "HA! HA! YOU just got tackled by a soccer player" Well just this week, The Boy tackled him!!! OH! Did I mention that this kiddo is at least 6 foot (maybe taller!) as a 6th grader! The kids at school have taken notice of his tackling abilities and thinks he should play football. I'm ok with this being a short term thing that he does just at recess. EEK!

He also got asked to go to College For Kids this summer. In order to qualify for this you have to score well on your standardized tests. You are only able to attend as a 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grader. Last year he did not get asked. This year he did! We made sure to tell him what an awesome earned privilege it is to be able to go. I hope he sees that The Mommy and The Daddy DO know what they are talking about when they tell him that hard work really does pay off.


All in all, it's been a good week in our home. I'm hoping he is taking note of how well he is getting along with his brother and how nice it is not to be in trouble for talking back and how much easier things can be. Since he is the oldest I do expect him to be a role model to the other two boys. I see both of the other two learning more from him then they learn from The Mommy or The Daddy. Today I had a bonus kiddo here with us this morning before school and BuhBuh took out the chess board and was teaching this other kiddo how to play and offering him praise for the good job he was doing. Just a couple of positive moments between BuhBuh and The Boy this week clearly has already rubbed off on BuhBuh and shared back with others. It makes a momma smile, that is FOR SURE!