[email protected]

In a message dated 6/20/2002 2:13:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:


> Many
> ways to solve the problem so that the supposed natural
> consequence doesn't happen.

Saying that if they stay up late they'll miss the bus isn't necessarily a
natural consequence. It might be a concern - if this is a kid who stays up
late and then can't get moving in the morning. Maybe it is a natural
consequence that the kid ENJOYS - I used to love it when I was too slow
getting ready for school and didn't have time to walk - loved having my mom
DRIVE me to school. It was special.

The NATURAL consequence of staying up late is probably just feeling more
tired the next day. And it might or might not be worth it - but kids will
learn, naturally, to consider that possibility when they're deciding when to
go to sleep.

When we're going to go someplace really early in the morning - which we are
TOMORROW - my kids have learned, from experiencing the natural consequence of
being overtired and not enjoying their day as much as they would have with
enough sleep, that it usually pays to try to get to sleep a lot earlier than
usual (usual is very late). I might remind them that they have to get up
early, but they are just as likely to remind ME to get to bed earlier than
usual, "Remember, Mommy, we don't want you to be tired and cranky tomorrow,
okay?" <G>

--pam


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