Martial Law declared

This summer has just been hard. Im not sure exactly what different between this summer and last but it has been.

Im not sure if I was just hyper focused on Gideon and his numerous medical issues last summer and since hes doing fabulous this summer, Im more focused on all the kids or what. Either way things were rough enough that on Wednesday I declared martial law. Cause it just wasnt working, the kids were fighting, I was yelling and nagging and life generally wasnt getting us anywhere.

So I started them out with a family meeting, well more of a mom lecture to tell the truth. I told them this just isnt working and something needs to change. Im not even getting to laundry or any of the other detail cleaning and work I need to do because Im constantly interupted dealing with fights and meltdowns and getting them to do the chores. My eldest children really should be at the point they can get the chores done decently without the reminders to focus and do what needs to be done.

So we started out with some team cleaning. All the big kids super cleaning the kitchen while I worked with the little ones ina bedroom. We worked thru the house on wed and worked on cleaning the garage today. I told them martial law will stay declared until I see improvements in behavior.

They arent impressed with martial law cause it means no friends over at all and they basically have to do whatever they are assigned. The first day they didnt even do their regular chore rooms the way we usually do.

Hopefully this will get all of them and myself back on track. So far Im exhausted but I do have a clean garage -- lol!

God is good ... all the time
MJ