Consistently inconsistent

One thing can be said about having three two and a half year olds running around.... expect the unexpected. Another thing can be said... no good deed goes unpunished:) I often times feel like I am in front of dam and I am plugging leaks with my fingers, toes, etc... As soon as one gets plugged another one, sometimes MUCH bigger, opens up.

I often say that staying home with the Triplets is much like being in management. Many times when I was in management I would get the feeling that we had everything nailed and we were firing on all cylinders. Of course that would be right before the wheels come off. I guess any job is that way but much more so in management.

I am trying to figure out if always having the same punishment for an offense is good or bad. I know, I know, you need to be consistent but I can see my kids weighing out the consequences before they do something. I can almost hear them.... "It is worth going to time out to take the toy from my brother." Isn't it the inconsistent punishments that keep us in line? Running red lights for instance.... (side note: this example does not include Birmingham as running red lights seems to be a sport here) If you run a red light you might get a ticket, get away with it or you might get T-boned by a Mack Truck!

Frequently I question whether it is the Triplets that are unruly or the rules that are untoddlerly:) Don't get me wrong our kids are REALLY good. They just like to push buttons, but don't we all. I mentioned so someone over the weekend that it amazes me that they go against me when they know the punishment. But then I said "but I guess if I really believe in heaven and hell then why don't I act differently." The problem with living in a glass house is that you sometimes bump into the walls.

Unfortunately I can find no research to back up my theory so I will stick to consistency but I still think there might be something to being inconsistent to get consistency:)

We tried some new punishment over the weekend......

Capital punishment would be more effective as a preventive measure if it were administered prior to the crime.
Woody Allen

Al