Kids Acting like Wild Animals!!!

I always got myself ready before our daughter got up when she was young.

I promise it will get better as they get older.
Remember to discuss expectations even at dinner about the behavior you expect the next morning.

"Listen guys, I am really needing your help in the morning. I am trying to get ready for work, because if I am late, I get in trouble at work. If I get in trouble I could get fired. That would mean we would not have money for the fun things we like to do and no gifts for birthdays. "

"So in the morning. YOU need to get ready and rat your breakfast without me having to chase after the 2 of you."

"Can you 2 help me with this? "

"How can you get ready faster in the morning, or do you want me to wake you up earlier?"

Let them problem solve and make the choices.. Then hold them to it..

This is normal. They're just being kids...finding fun in everything they do, living in the moment.

I found a couple of ways to help with this: Have everything ready to be put on/go before they go to bed. In the morning, always do it in the same order. Get them watches and start making sure that they have a concept of time. And finally, wake them up 30 minutes BEFORE you usually do so that they have the time, once they're dressed and ready, to get some energy out.

I'm lucky enough to live within walking distance of the boys' school...so they walk. It helps them so much to get energy out. If you have the ability to get them running around before you have to put them on the bus, it will help.

you didnt talk of how you discipline their behavior. if they are acting like that with the food and plates, take away their breakfast, throw it in the trash. tell them that anytime they act like that they wont eat breakfast that day. i doubt they will do it more than twice before they realize if they dont want to be hungry all morning they will eat. be consistent, use real discipline.

Back to Basis Discipline by Janet Campbell Matson. You can still keep things fun for them, but you need them to cooperate too. Check it on Amazon-good luck!

I second a reward for being ready early. Then heap on lots of praise and thank you's when they are "caught being good." If they choose not to get ready, don't bother harping on them about it, but let it go. They will experience the natural consequences of having to go when it's time whether they are ready or not!

Do you have music or TV playing in the morning? If you do, turn off the TV. If you play music, only play quiet classical music that is very calm. Have everything ready to go the night before or in the car already so that you don't have to do much other than get yourself ready (have your own clothes picked out.)

I would stop putting their food on plates. Tell them since they are misbehaving at the table, they lose their plates and can just eat off of the table. And I will tell you straight out, if they start throwing food, I'd do exactly as 3boysunder3 said, and throw their food away. One morning of going hungry will fix that. But take the plate away first. I would no more allow spinning of plates on my table than I would standing on the table!

I would tell the kids that whoever starts acting up will have to get up first the next morning and get all their morning work done. The first time he or she has to get up a half hour earlier and put their lunch, etc together, before their sibling gets up, will think twice before being rude and obnoxious. I'm all for a positive reward box, but really, sometimes the acting up is more fun than the reward. You shouldn't ratchet up the reward, because they learn to manipulate the reward with worse behavior.

Good luck,
Dawn

Can use use some natural consequences? If they aren't ready, they will miss the bus and have to walk??? That way it's not always you pushing them, rather them living with the consequences they created? OR can you try rewarding them for doing well in the mornings and motivate the right behaviors?

I totally FEEL your pain!!! I have 3 boys, ages 7, 4, and 3 and they are all wild animals together every single day of my life. I am surprised that your 6 and 7 y/o boy and girl are behaving this way. A boy and a girl are better than 3 boys (behavior wise).

What went through my mind while reading your post is no mention of a husband. Are you married? If so, your husband needs to step in and help out in the mornings! He's not the only one who works - you work, too, so he needs to help you with the morning chaos! Please don't let him put this all on you. You take a kid and your husband takes a kid and you are each responsible for getting that kid ready for school. Take turns w/ your husband giving your kids breakfast. With both of you working, this needs to be a shared effort.

If you are a single mom, this is tough! I know how hard it is, but can you wake up earlier in the morning? At least you can get yourself all ready before the kids wake up, so then you just need to focus on the kids. Alsom, what about a prize box? I understand punishment w/ no TV (that's good, I do it too), but positive reinforcement is good too. You can tell your kids that if they behave in the morning (and evening), they will get to pick something out of the prize box. Best of luck, and my life is also miserable with my wild animal kids!