I surrender

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Sweet Planetarians, all 525 of you, I'm raising the white flag of surrender today. Only figuratively, alas. This week we've been crooker than Rookwood on Planet Baby (the Sydneysiders will get that joke). I've had both boys home with me all week as they've suffered from the horrid virus sweeping Hobart. Mr PB and India have soldiered on with colds. Now I'm laid low - I suspect the 'flu may be setting in.

But retreating to bed isn't an option. 

Not when I have 3 pixies with running taps for noses which, for reasons best known to themselves, they are unable to wipe.  I am keeping up their doses of Nurofen and water whilst laundering handkerchiefs and topping up the tissue supply.

And they are fractious. Squabbling abounds. I'm tired of adjudicating disputes. And separating warring parties. Not to mention dodging little hands swinging my way. 

I'm horrified to see such behaviour. I can't believe what I'm seeing. This isn't how we've raised them.

And in the midst of it all, we're trying to 'hold the line' as we implement the 'traffic light' system for managing their behaviour. Joshie and India have it at school so we're doing it at home as well. Mr PB and I have dubbed it 'Operation Pushback' as we establish firmer boundaries of acceptable behaviour to promote family harmony.

This explains pretty much how we do it.

This is India's creation. We all have our own feathers. You'll see a certain pink feather is now on the yellow light. With one warning down and two to go before it's moved down to red. 

I won't tell you how that pixie made it to yellow. Let's just say I'd like to erase this morning from my memory banks. Forever.

Mind you, we have added to it by also having an incentive system so it's not all negative. The pixies can earn bonus points by doing something good without being told to etc. 

Here's a photo of our little chalkboard slate with the current tally!

Anyway, Operation Pushback is hard. Especially when we're all crook. But needs must.

I'm not prone to such negative posts, am I? But in the spirit of keeping it real and letting you know you're not alone in experiencing the frustrations of parenting, I'm hitting 'Publish' now.

And now I'm off to arbitrate/wipe noses etc. Wish me luck!