Self Control

This month as we follow along in MomSense, we are studying the chapter over self control. (pages 95-102)

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage... to say"no" to other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger yes burning inside.

Stephen Covey

Much like the author in this chapter, I struggle with practicing self control around anything sweet. Other than just for the sake of my health, why would practicing self control be of benefit to my child? Blackmer says, "Because the ability to be in charge of your attitudes, actions and behaviors is a critical life skill for adults and for children. And if we moms can model and encourage self-control, our children will adapt this trait in their own lives." Ellen Galinksy suggests self-control is one of the seven essential life skills and defines it as "the ability to refuse a strong desire to do one thing and instead do the most appropriate thing."

Wow... that's a hard task. Sometimes things seem so much easier even if they aren't the best thing for us. Practicing self control isn't always convenient, and for myself, is rarely easy. However, it is always worth it.

Galinksy writes, "If we find it difficult sometimes to maintain our focus and self-control, imagine what it's like for our children, who don't have decades of practice and experience. These are difficult skills, which may be why they're so fundamentally important."

My granny use to preach about self-discipline all of the time. After a temper tantrum my sister had one evening, my granny told her she needed to practice self-discipline. I remember my little sister being so angry she loudly declared, "I don't know what that self-discipline is, but I don't like it... and I don't want it!!!" Granny just giggled as my sister stormed off and later forgot whatever it was that upset her so much.

It's true, though. Even as an adult, I don't particularly like self-control. Particularly during the holidays with all of the wonderful baked goods and tasty casseroles. It's too cold to work out, but it would be heavenly to munch on my great Ina's special Christmas cookies by the fire. After all, it doesn't hurt anyone. But that little voice prompts me to put down the cookie and pull out my yoga mat. Hopefully that small sacrifice that doesn't seem so small at the time will be a subliminal lesson for my little man about self-control.

My son is going to grow up in a very instantly gratifying society. We don't have to wait for much, do we? Self-control is going to be a vital part of him growing up. Galinksy also quotes Walter Mischel during an interview, "these executive function skills should be promoted and reinforced by families and schools because they enable children to become able to manage frustrations and distress in ways that don't derail them from pursuing the goals that are important to them. Remember: focus and self-control are always exercised in the service of pursuing an important personal goal."

Your MomSense

• On a scale of one to ten, with one being pathetic and ten being excellent, where would your rate your own self-control?
• List two areas in your life where you feel you have good self-control and two areas where you feel you need improvement:
• List one thing you can do today to increase your own self-control:
• List one thing you can do today to help your children practice self-control:

December Calendar

Check out this month's calendar! Please let us know if you have an event you would like to add.

Printable MOPS Newsletter

Everyone should have received their newsletters electronically at the first of the month. I missed the last meeting, so you didn't have printable versions available to you. If you would like to print one from home I have them uploaded now.  (Sorry for the delay! This has been a crazy month!) These are designed for 11x17 landscape printing. Don't forget to find us on facebook and twitter to catch new blog entries or posts. Also, subscribe to our feed so that you can see when we add new info! Blessings!

Sponge Grunge

While flipping through my monthly issue of Nutrition Action from CSPI, I took note of their cover story "Safe at Home".  The article focused on keeping  your kitchen clean - including dish cloths, sponges, sinks, cutting boards, refrigerators, counter tops, freezers, microwaves, and dish washers. But the DIRTIEST thing in  your kitchen is probably your sponge. Microbiologist Manan Sharma was interviewed in the article and said sponges are so dirty  because "They come into contact with food residues that can build up in them and that provide nutrients for bacteria and other microorganisms to grow." The article also points out that sponges are left in damp areas causing them to be wet. This only encourages conditions for germs to multiply. "A safe kitchen is a dry kitchen."

So, what to do? Rinsing and squeezing a sponge under running water alone won't do much for you. Microwave a WET sponge for one minute, and you will rid yourself of the majority of germies. (Please don't put it in the microwave if it has metal.) An alternative to the microwave is your dishwasher. 

WikiHow has other great step by step instructions on cleaning sponges. But, if you want to avoid sponges all together, just keep a fresh dish cloth out at the beginning of the day and toss it in the hamper in the evening. Just remember not to use a sponge as your "final wipe" of a surface.

Consistency

If you are calm, you are consistent, and you always do what you say you're going to, you will earn their (your children's) respect and trust.

Dr. Kevin Leman

If you are reading along in MomSense, we are in chapter six about consistency. Yikes... This is an area I could use improvement in. With my husband working a swing shift (12 hour shifts alternating between days and nights with an added hour and a half of driving time), we have a hard time finding a balanced schedule. While most little ones are getting ready for bed, my son is just getting to see his daddy for the first time that day. We have a late dinner, and little man gets to bed later than I would like or later than nights when daddy is working his night shift, and it is just my little guy and me. Some nights my son really tests me with his strong will wondering if I will follow through with the punishment I've threatened. Sometimes I don't. Or sometimes we end up going to the park even though I swore if he didn't take his "no thank you" bite during dinner he wouldn't get to go that night. On my end I recognize that it is very important to follow through with what I promise - whether it is reward or punishment. he needs to have a routine that he can trust just like he can trust in my husband and me. Now that's convicting!

Questions we will go over in discussion are from pages 85-86.

• Describe a time when it was difficult for you to be consistent in a parenting situation:
• How did your child respond to you?
• Share with other moms any struggles you have regarding consistency in your parenting practice, and ask a good friend to check in on this with you regularly to see if you're getting better at following through.

Hand Washing

 

Unfortunately, sickness comes along with cooler weather. The BEST way to prevent illness is to teach our little ones the importance of hand washing. 

 

This year there was a global handwashing day designated to bring awareness to the importance of washing hands. Check out globalhandwashingday.org for some fun stuff and important information put together in honor of celebrating that day. Don't forget to make everyday a global hand washing day. Here are some good tips from washinghands.net to teach the kiddos:

1. Apply Solution and Scrub for at least 10 Seconds
2. Scrub back of hands, wrists, between fingers and under fingernails
3. Rinse your hands
4. Turn off water lever using elbows
5. Dry

 Little Acorn Learning has some songs that your little ones can sing while they wash to ensure they wash them long enough and remember all of the steps.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
See how clean my two hands are
Soap and water, wash and scrub
Get those germs off, rub a dub
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
See how clean my two hands are

Wash, wash, wash your hands
Get them nice and clean
Wash them on top
Wash them on bottom and fingers in between
Wash, wash, wash your hands
Get them nice and clean
Wash them on top
Wash them on bottom and fingers in between

Two little hands
So clean and so bright
This is my left
And this is my right!
(do this one more than once to meet your 20 seconds!)

Tops and Bottoms, Tops and Bottoms (Rub tops and bottoms of hands)
In between, in between (rub fingers inside on both hands)
All around your hands, all around your hands
Makes them clean, makes them cleank

And lastly, a video advertising SoftSoap® but more importantly a fun reminder for children to remember to wash their hands. Cute for the little ones.

Traditions

For many families, the holidays go hand in hand with memorable traditions. Many of them are passed down through several generations. Other than having the iconic turkey for Thanksgiving lunch, I couldn't think of any real tradition that we had. So, who is to say I can't start one? Here are some fun ideas I found on the web that I thought I would share.

Gratitude Rolls

 

I love this idea from beautyandbedlam.com. Each guest for dinner writes a few things they are thankful for on small sheets of paper. They are baked in rolls and passed around during dinner. (A sort of fortune cookie if you will.) You can use pre-made crescent roll dough or follow their recipe for  homemade butter horn rolls.

Gratitude Trees

This is a similar idea from Green Jello. Cut out leaves of paper to hang on a "tree." Each guest writes something to be thankful for to hang on the tree. Keep the leaves for future Thanksgivings.

Book of Thanks

This is another cute idea from Eighteen25.com. Have a book ready for all of your guests to write their blessings with a photo from that day including everyone. Add to it every year. Wonderful heirloom!

So what traditions does your family have? Do you plan on starting any new ones?