Thursday, July 21, 2011

Update

It's been a while. I think getting an anonymous poster/comment threw me more than I realized.

Family Meetings: Fiora has just started saying real appreciations! So cool...though I need to restrain myself from offering suggestions when she seems to get lost and stressed about what to say. We're really enjoying using the laminated pictures+words to keep track of our contributions, and putting them on the fridge with magnets. Once Fiora insisted on choosing TWO, which could've been a great time to admire her dedication and verve, but instead dissolved into her choosing which one she wanted to do each day and picking just one. Family meetings now happen much more reliably and with less effort, but are still not regularly weekly. Fiora enjoys spending her allowance - especially at grocery stores!

Contributions: She really knows where the clean dishes go and how to put them away; how to put soap in the dish washer and run it (though not when!); how to wash dishes; she's made dinner once or twice (with her dad's help); she's helping get out utensils and salad dressing and ketchup and the like (doubly useful since it keeps her from asking for snacks before dinner!); she's washing dishes better and better. She knows where to put her different clothes away and just learned how to put shirts and dresses on a hanger; she's learning about the laundry machines. She's getting better (faster) at putting her toys away and identifying what's trash/mess on the floor. She knows how to clean the bathroom sink; toilet; tub; and mirror. Hurrah!

She's really avoided sweeping or mopping....might have to make that happen. And contributions ONLY happen because Fi almost always wants to watch some netflix or do computer time...I feel like I could do better at helping her understand the joys of contributions...especially if I delved into that more myself!!

Roadmap: what roadmap? I'm STILL jonesing for a family roadmap...started my second version months and months ago, would like to set up time to talk it over with DH.

DNSN: it would be fun to do this again. New baby on the way will help facilitate this!

The Four C's: I feel pretty good about connection most days (it's such a delight with this verbal playful girl we have now!), and telling her she counts; I'm still a bit of a wimp when it comes to encouraging her to have courage, letting her challenge herself into frustration, but those moments still happen with fair regularity so I'm not preventing them (hardest when I think she's feeling sick but am not sure!!). Am I missing one?

Buttons: have felt great about these, then tonight my back was sore and the dogs were pulling a little on a hot humid night that does NOT deserve any dog or person feeling feisty enough to pull, my expectations flared, and I got cranky in button-style. *sigh* Certainly don't want to be too cocky!!

Hm, should review my PoT book and see what I've remembered and what I've forgotten....