When I was pregnant with Davey, I used to watch Super Nanny.   I don’t know why I was drawn to the show.   Perhaps it was to see what I may have in store for my future or maybe I just wanted to see how lazy parents were as compared to my parents.   I mean, let’s be serious, my brother and I didn’t climb on the kitchen table and start throwing food.   We had some sense and we knew that if we misbehaved there would be disciplinary action to follow.

After watching the show, I developed some theories and ideas on how I was going to enforce some rules within my house.   I knew what I could tolerate and what was definitely going to be out of bounds.   And truthfully, I didn’t think it would be as difficult as it is now boding.

I don’t know what to do with Davey.   He’s only 16 months old and while he’s not out of control, he’s still doing things that are definitely considered off limits.   If I try to discpline, then he laughs at me.   It’s all a game to him and I’m quickly losing patience.   I’m the one taking time outs for crying out loud and I’m not the rule breaker!

I grew up in a time when paddling your child was acceptable.   My brother and I turned out perfectly fine, no emotional scars on my end, but we quickly learned that if we didn’t want to get paddled, then perhaps it was best to NOT break the rules.   In today’s time, paddling your child is almost tantamount to child abuse (which I don’t agree with).

Davey has gotten a pop on his hand or even on his leg, but I’m not interested in taking that approach to discipline him.   I’m not judging it, but I don’t want to do it.   It doesn’t make me happy and I know that it didn’t make my dad happy either.   I used to think he got some sort of thrill out of paddling me and my brother, but now that I’m a parent, I know he didn’t like it.   It’s not fun when you have to discpline your own child.

I guess what I need is some advice.   What can I do?   Davey understands “no”.   He knows when he’s not supposed to be doing something, but he does it anyways.   It’s literally a game to him and I don’t know how to get it through his head that jumping from the coffee table to the hearth is not a game.   I can’t just sit back and wait for him to bust open his head and say “well, I hope you’ve learned your lesson.”

I’ve tried to put him in a time out chair, but that doesn’t work.   I feel like some of the moms from Super Nanny and I’m frantically trying to recall what they did to get their toddlers to sit and learn (maybe it’s too soon for mine).   I’ve tried to ignore him, as I think sometimes he breaks the rules just for attention or to see what sort of behavior he can elicit from me.   I can’t ignore him though when he’s trying to climb onto the stove for the umpteenth time.

I know I’m not the only one to go through this.   I know there are others out there and I need you.  I’m imploring for you to help me.   Please save a least this one portion of my sanity.   What can I do?