4 Moms Deal With Snotty Attitudes and New Babies {Plus a GIVEAWAY}

The 4 Moms of 35+ Kids are answering questions submitted on our 4 Moms Facebook page.

How do you deal with a snotty attitude in a 7 year old? Some days he’s just nasty.

My children know they are to speak respectfully and be considerate to everyone they encounter. If they disobey that expectation, we deal with it the same way we deal with all disobedience. They receive an unpleasant consequence and an admonition to do what is right. If they continue to be disrespectful after receiving the admonition, the consequences become more severe.

We have taken away all electronics for a week at a time, placed children in “solitary confinement” in their rooms for the entire day, doing all school work, and even taking meals there, and left children at home (with an adult) during fun trips to town.

If the solution you are applying isn’t having the desired effect, change tactics. Make sure you are not threatening. Do not warn. If the child knows what you consider “snotty” and you hear it, apply the consequence.

How did you emotionally prepare for number two? I’m specifically wondering about loving #2 as much as #1, having babies in such drastically different stages and with such different needs (#1 is walking and learning to talk, verses a newborn who will want to nurse constantly – if past experience holds true), and any suggestions for making the transition easier.

I don’t think you’ll have to worry about loving the new baby as much as the “old” one. God gives us what we need, and He knows that baby needs love. God built into your maternal instincts a desire to love, nurture, and protect your babies. All of your babies. You’ll be amazed at how your love will grow to include all the babies God gives you.

The different stages can be a challenge, but you will rise to meet it. Since the new baby will mostly want to do nothing more than eat, sleep, and poop, you can still focus plenty of attention on your older child. You can read aloud, snuggle, sing songs, and chat all while nursing. You can also do most of those things while changing diapers.

You can involve the older child in many of the activities the baby needs. Big sisters or brothers make excellent diaper fetchers and they love to apply lotion to baby toes, too.

Welcome your older child’s desire to help out and make him or her feel needed and appreciated in the care of the baby.

Be sure to check out which questions the rest of my team are answering.

• The Common Room
• Life in a Shoe
• Raising Olives

And now for some fun giveaways!

Heather, my go to gal for all things goat milkish, sent me some of her hand made goat milk soap to try. You should have smelled my mailbox the day the package came!

If you’ve never used goat milk soap, you are in for a treat! It lasts much longer than store bought soap. It’s creamy and lathery, and it leaves your hands feeling soft and moisturized, not “squeaky” like store soap.

Heather makes several different varieties of goat milk soaps, and she would like to give away 4 bars of the winner’s choice! (Click the link to see the ingredients she uses.)

To enter to win 4 of Heather’s soaps, leave a comment on this post saying you would like to try to the soaps.

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Now, join me, along with Homeschool Giveaways and Blessed Beyond a Doubt for a new weekly feature. And if you have a giveaway to share, link it up here!

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