Everyday DISC for Moms...

Just some thoughts that may be of benefit to those in the trenches. I've always said that DISC is so simple to learn; the hard part is remembering to apply what you know when you're in any given situation. So here are a few basics that I've learned that make the daily stuff go much more smoothly. Enjoy...

Waking kids up in the a.m….
I’ve noticed that my S and C children take longer to wake than my D and I. They’re also the ones I have to give more warning to when changing activities in general. They’re the kids that need the 5 minute warning at McDonald’s playland…otherwise there is sure to be a meltdown that ends with me climbing into the ball pit. I hate climbing into the ball pit. So plan extra time for them in the morning. They just don't go from 0 to 60 as fast as the rest of us. The D does best when she feels like she's in control, so I give her choices… “Do you want to eat breakfast first or get dressed?” … “Do you want to wear the red shirt or the pink one?” … “Jelly on your toast or just butter?” Questions like, “Are you hungry?” are usually answered with a grumpy “No!” and followed by 20 minutes of refusing to eat and then we’re late for school and then I start yelling and then it really breaks down from there.
Mealtime…
My C children are such picky eaters (my 14 yr. old C is actually vegetarian... has been for years). They don’t seem to care about food when we do sit down to eat and eat smaller amounts than the rest of us. The D and the I children are much less finicky and are enthusiastic eaters. The I’s in the family are the overeaters. The S is only slightly finicky, but no one would ever know it. She just quietly eats what she likes and avoids the rest. I love the different responses when I tell them what’s for dinner. One of my C’s never cares because she knows there’s an entirely different vegetarian menu for her. The other C usually scowls and tells me everything she doesn’t like. And the I whoops and hollers and cheers at no matter what I say; it’s all his favorite.
Chores…
The C’s need a list. They thrive on lists. They love checking off completed tasks one by one. They do the most thorough job, by far. If I need something done right, I’ll ask one of them. The lists do nothing for the D and the I. They need different motivation. The I does best if I say, “Do this and we’ll watch a movie when you’re done.” etc… The S offers help, but needs help following through. She does it happily enough when I ask, though. The I and S need lots of praise once they’ve completed their tasks.
Discipline…
The I crumbles when he thinks I’m unhappy with him. He can’t take the slightest bit of criticism. I have to be very careful when reprimanding him because it wounds him too deeply. The C’s don’t seem to be so sensitive. As far as discipline, the only thing I have found that works on the C’s is to take away something important to them… a privilege or activity they love, toy, whatever. When behavior changes, privilege is returned. Don’t have to discipline the S; she never does anything wrong. Nothing works on the D; she does whatever she wants.