Naked boy!

I know a great number of children, now young adults, who were never spanked growing up. You can spot them easily - they typically have much less respect for adults and think they can get away with anything. This is a noticable fact.

Boy that brings back memories of when my daughter was small. She used to love to go naked! But she only did it at grandma's house for some reason. I'm thinking it was because grandma's house was so large and she had this massive backyard with sprinklers for her to run in during the summer time and a little wading pool and a Slip n Slide. Compared to our small abode, grandma's was like a wonderland!

Then of course, she also had this very strange thing about always wanting to re-arrange the furniture....grandpa called her "Baby Bekins"

I like the positive reinforcemnt approach. Little ones do love mom and dad's approval and it makes them feel proud when they have pleased mom or dad. And the dressing like you, Boomerang is also a good idea.

I wasn't spanked, either, cjhsa. <cocks eyebrow>

I've backed off from my former "spanking is evil" stance -- I know people who do it and their kids turn out fine. But you can't say that EVERYONE should spank.

(Do you want me to haul out some studies?)

Different kids need different approaches.
They're kind of like humans that way.

Yep, my oldest is the one who got spanked the most - she deserved it too. My middle kid may never have been spanked, maybe once, I don't remember. My son, well, for the most part he's avoided it too, but occasionally I'll kick him in the butt to get him moving! Couch potato.

Oh my gosh Lady J! Mo rearranges the furniture on a daily basis! We call him "Bam-Bam Rubble".

We have a really big backyard too. The naked thing really started last spring with the spinklers.

Please tell me that your daughter turned out great and is not an exhibitionist.

I haven't read the Sears book, soz. But I have heard of him and I think I'm familiar with his thinking on this but I should probably check it out - he seems to be a respected authority on child raising.

You've got to be kidding me, cjhsa! Let's see, among my siblings we have an Army Colonel, an investment banker and two small business owners. We grew up dirt poor, really dirt, Okie poor; nothing was EVER handed to us except the desire to learn and excel.

"Discipline" comes from the same word as "desciple" and it means to teach, not to force.

This too shall pass.

I had a 2-year-old stripping exhibitionist in cactus country. Do you really want to hear all about prickly pear spines? He was a bright boy, but even prickly pear spines weren't educational until the phase had passed.

You might try one morning absolutely forbidding him to wear any clothes all day long and see whether he tries to dress for the occasion.

That is TOO funny! Brooke has turned out wonderfully!! We had a bit of a rough spell about 14-17 but it had nothing to do with exhibitionism. It was just plain teenage rebellion at that point. And we BOTH survived! Now she is almost 22, incredibly responsible. Works full time, goes to college part time. She is very independent, very outspoken, very honest, takes no BS from anyone, is never afraid to stand up to anyone and if you are her friend, she will have your back every time. She is one of my very best friends She has a ton of respect for herself and others, is never shy. Most importantly, she never undresses in public!

Gosh, you'd almost get the impression I really love this girl, eh? Do I ever!

Lady J - I wanna goe to Granma's house... Sounds like fun!

ehbeth - They really are kinda like humans. In a little way.

I like Noddy's idea of telling him he can't get dressed. Bet that will get an interesting result that may require a whole thread of its own!

I was spanked once as a child. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I was about 4. I was jumping on the couch and singing / yelling while Dad was doing business on the phone. He swatted me twice (not even hard) and made me sit for thirty minutes while he called his customer back. After he finished, he came back and talked to me about respecting his need to work, what it sounded like to the customer, and (again) about not jumping on the couch. He said he was disappointed that I would behave that way since I was such a smart and good girl.


Gawd, that broke my heart. Never needed another swat. But, again, each child has a different personality and the same certainly wouldn't work with my brother.

Noddy! That IS a fun idea! I'm going to wait until just the right day - someday where he's begging to go to the zoo or go swimming or something - then I'll spring it on him and see what happens.

It sounds like a great excuse to stay in my pajamas all day too.

And at least there are no cactii in our yard!

Brooke sounds wonderful, Lady J. I guess this eary exhibitionism, furniture moving thing is just another phase. I will be cautious when the teen years hit!

(I just felt my heart clutch.
(As Mo's guardian I can only hope that he will still be living here come the teens)
<swallowing lump in throat>
....)

Squinney, that sounds so much like my parents and their "expectation" talks.

What a nice story.

Thank you.

My mom wa too kind to spank...but once she reached in petey's cage (my parakeet) and twisted his head off in front of me......boy that got my attention and she didn't have to lay a hand on me....

Gosh, I probably should have mentioned those few nights a week that Brooke dances in the strip club and makes awesome tips! I'm just kidding!!

Squinney, you can come to grandma's house anytime you like. Summer is always the best though. The sandbox, the swingset, the garden full of strawberries, fresh corn, green beans, carrots, onions, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, potatoes and fresh mint for our iced tea. The fruit trees, loaded with plums and apples and pears and lemons. The grapevines heavy with seedless edible (not wine) grapes. Sitting on the back deck during the warm evenings, listening to the fountain and catching the sweet aroma of the wisteria over the arbor and the huge hillside full of gorgeous iris and roses. ::sigh:: I hate winter coming on.

Back to the original thread now. I also like the idea of the reverse psychology with Mo and not getting dressed. It would be interesting to see how he reacts to that one. If you try that Boomerang, let us know!

Boomerang--

Every day Little Mo spends with you is a argument to the judge that you and Mr. B. are providing him with the stability to be a happy child and and man who will contribute to society.

One day at a time--with or without clothes.

Hold your dominion.

You know, Noddy, sometimes I'm just caught unaware and made to realize that perhaps I've had to read the fine print of life's very limited guarantee closer than others.

Ah, the demented folly of "mine".

Dominion holding. Thanks for the reminder.

A stripper I could handle. A pervert..... maybe not so much!

I've been redoing my yard. It sounds like Lady J's gradma's yard is what I'm after.

Hazelnuts
Apples
Marionberries

Native stuff.

Bountiful Oregon.

I just want to live to be old enough to eat from my yet to be planted trees.

And to share a meal with Mo while I remind him of our digging season.

Boomerang--

You'll survive--you have many gardens to create.

Keep holding.

I know I'll survive but I'll remember that the diner is on the north side of town.

Assume nothing but plan for the future, I've learned to say.

I've been thinking about this naked thing - it seemed to really get out of control about the same time that Mo decided he didn't want to leave the house. I do belive that I am being manipulated by a naked three year old.

Although....

Given the choice between going out or staying in, I'm a Happy Hermit. I could be giving him the perfect excuse......

Ever seen Dana Carvey's stand up where he talks about his two boys that just strip for no reason? Funny guy, but he did have a good idea in his hilarious "naked kids" story.
His wife and he apparently have bargained with the kids...they get "naked time" at 7p every night for one hour, but only if they stay dressed the rest of the day. Perhaps you can try this. He probably wants to be naked because that is how God intended! I know when I was little, I was always taking my clothes off. I think kids find them restrictive and just want to be free!

Most four year olds are house broken, but very few can manipulate people and symbols.

Naked he came into this world and naked he's going to stay in your house!
He likes it there.

Keep holding--and remember the diner.

You could always just say "We're going for a walk downtown", and then just do so, clothes or not.

Clothes are overrated anyway, when he starts getting cold then he will want to wear them.