I've Reached My Limit

My children have decided over a period of time - gradually - that what we parents tell them to do (don't destroy couches, don't climb furniture, don't hit ,etc) is optional.  Their ears don't work, they don't listen and I am tired of sounding like a broken record as I beg my deaf children to not tear holes into my belongings. 

And I didn't realize this until it came to the discipline phase of parenting, but consistency is next to impossible.  Every single situation is slightly different and it is easy to fall off course in the consistency department because it sneaks up so gradually.  I'm trying to stay on track, oh man I am really trying, but I'll be honest I haven't been as good about it as I need to be.  I've let too many unacceptable behaviors go because I was too tired, too distracted, too overwhelmed . . .  the excuses are endless.  The point is that these behaviors need to stop.

I'm tired of begging.  I'm tired of throwing my hands up in frustration.  I'm tired of yelling. 

Today Lucas threw me attitude when I told him to not JAM his toys into my couch.  So I picked his little ass up and put him in a bedroom.  Nick threw me attitude when I told him not to throw toys so he was picked up and put into a bedroom. 

They screamed and screamed in fury. 

I went into the room Lucas was in and told him that I did not want him to play with the electric blanket and that he could go select toys to play with and bring into the room.  He gave me a look of more attitude.  So I told him that if he didn't go get some toys he'd sit there without toys.  He sat there.  Fine.  I closed the door and he didn't have toys.  His choice.  He started screaming.  Too bad. 

Nick decided to destroy his favorite book while he was screaming in his room.  So I threw the favorite book away.  He freaked out.  Too bad.  Don't destroy books.  His choice.

I went in to check on Lucas and he had obviously dismantled the electric blanket.  I asked him if he'd played with the blanket.  He looked me in the eye and lied to me.  So he went into another room - without anything at all to play with or mess with.  I told him that his behavior was completely unacceptable and he'd better shape up.  He screamed and cried again.  I closed the door.

Nick is refusing to stay in his bedroom so I am ignoring him right now, as he hangs out the door screaming "Mommy, mommy, mommy!!"  Over and over and over again.  He's been screaming for 30 minutes.  I don't care if he screams for the rest of the day.  He either follows the most basic rules or he's going to have a very difficult childhood. 

I have good kids.  I love them.  But the rest of the world won't tolerate them standing on furniture, crawling on tables, hitting, hurting, destroying belongings, and neither should I.  It would be a disservice to them to allow them to get away with this in my home - only for them to find out that the rest of the world doesn't want to be around them due to their behavior.

So that's it.  I'm a very unpopular Momma today. . . and I'm just going to have to be ok with them screaming in fury because I won't allow them to get away with breaking the rules.