When yelling less actually maybe kinda worked

Hi again,

I’ve been thinking a lot about punishments and moral compasses this week. As you know, I’m actively trying to not yell at my kids as much, in particular my eldest, and I think I’ve turned a corner into understanding why I’m doing this. Of course, I want to yell less for everyone’s sanity, but I also have come to realize that not yelling as much puts the onus back on my child for knowing what’s right and wrong. Exhibit A: My son freaked out when I told him he couldn’t have yet another dessert and growled — like, really angrily growled at me. And instead of yelling at him immediately, I took a beat and just stared at him with a very disapproving gaze. He started to laugh, but then realized I really wasn’t having any of it, and calmly went into his room. I went to the bathroom to get his toothbrush ready (and, let’s be honest, to get a breather) and when I asked him if he was ready to brush his teeth, he simply replied, “Yes thank you mommy I’m sorry I love you.”

Now, he could most certainly be playing a devilish mind trick on me, but I like to think that maybe his moral compass screeched to a halt and knew it had done wrong in that moment and wanted to rectify the wrong. I am most definitely reading too much into this, but I choose to think that instead, he’s starting to internalize and understand right from wrong in a more developed way. HALLELUJAH (and fingers crossed).

If only every parenting moment felt like a win. HA.

Funniest tweet from parents this week

If you haven’t already read B.J. Novak’s “The Book With No Pictures” to your child, run, don’t walk, to your phone to buy it using your Prime subscription. It’s hysterical and mindless and completely charming —three things we all need in the middle of a frigid January.

For when your kid is keeping you awake

If you’ve ever had a second (or third or fourth or more) child, you likely know that dreaded feeling of panic that you won’t have enough time for your first-born. And (newsflash!), you won’t, so HuffPost’s Catherine Pearson talked to experts about the totally normal and expected guilt you feel as the new child’s arrival draws nearer.

TOTALLY NORMAL