lesson learned

i was a little hesitant to post about this because you might think it was cruel, but i have to say that i was a little proud of myself and i would do it again.  so here we go.

the kids have been a little difficult about getting dressed in a timely fashion.  they just don't get dressed when asked (sometimes mason will physically not cooperate) and it can make getting ready to leave more stressful than it has to be.  i usually give them a small window when mommy will help them get dressed, otherwise they are on there own until i have another window of time.

today we were getting ready to go to the library.  both kids were a little out of sorts and there was much crying and difficulty getting dressed.  madelyn even took her shirt off after i had put it on and mason barely let me get a clean diaper on him.  when maddux and i were dressed and ready to go i announced that it was time to go. 

madelyn started crying that she wasn't dressed and came running with two shirts in her hands.  mason headed downstairs to the garage.  as soon as his bare feet hit the concrete floor he realized that he wasn't dressed and went back up the stairs - crying.  but he came right back down to get into the car.  i used no physical force and did not yell once.  i just told them that it was time to go and i was sorry that they chose not to get dressed.  once everyone was secured in their carseats (madelyn was still clutching the clothes that she chose not to put on), i informed them that because they were not dressed they could not go into the library.  more crying.

so i drove to the library to return our books that were due with two crying kids in the back seat wearing nothing more than underwear and a diaper.

now, i didn't need to go into the library.  i could have just driven through the book drop to return our books and then come back to pick up our two books on hold.  but, i saw an opportunity to teach my kids and i took it.  i explained that maddux and i were dressed so we could go into the library.  madelyn and mason would have to wait in the car since they chose not to get dressed.  there was no crying this time; they knew that this had been their choice.  i had parked right next to the doors and would be able to see them the entire time i was in the library (and they could see me).  i turn the car off, locked them inside, and took maddux and our books inside the library.  it took less that three minutes for me to do my business in the library and return to the car.

madelyn tried a "mommy, i have to go to the bathroom" to try and get to go in.  but i just reminded her that since she wasn't dressed she would not be welcome in the library and would have to wait until we got home.  (she had also gone right before we left the house - so i knew that it was just a strategy.)  the whole ride home madelyn talked about how she was very sad that she didn't get dressed and hoped she could go to the library another time.

let's just say that getting dressed has not been nearly as much trouble ever since.  love.