5 things you don't know, about people you don't know

Only Deb rose to the challenge and actually posted about the 5 things people don't know about her to her blog.

However, a few other people just emailed me those 5 things, not wanting to post them to their blogs for all to read. Here are the top three that surprised me (omitting names to protect the innocent).

- i was into porn when i was pregnant, but haven't been at all interested in it otherwise before/since.
- i still have a doll that i had as a child. my husband thinks it's creepy and asked me to throw it away a long time ago, i agreed, but didn't go through with it. i keep it in a special box in my closet that he doesn't know about.
- i cheated on my HS spanish final and got caught. i convinced my teacher not to fail me or tell my parents.

Another mom's advice on tantrums

This is what one of my friend's emailed me about how she deals with her daughter's tantrums. I had asked for her advice, since I had recently locked myself in the bathroom to get away from my tantrum-stricken son. Her advice is not only comical, but also very useful.

here's my plan: i try to ignore it for a few minutes because i dont want to get into it with her, but if she's really out of control (screaming loudly or throwing herself around), i *calmly* pick her up and say, "you need a time out until you can calm down. let's go to your room." then i take her into her room and throw her vigorously --oh sorry, that's just what i want to do -- i take her into her room and place her gently onto her bed and keep her there. she always tries to run away. we just sit there as along as it takes for her to calm down, usually with me returning her to her bed every few seconds. usually she calms down enough to leave her room in about a minute or two. i don't talk to her during that time except to keep repeating from time to time, "you're a big girl, you can calm yourself down. i know you can do it."

the rule is (and she has been advised of the rule beforehand), i will stay with her if she doesn't hit or kick or throw anything at me. if she hits me, kicks me or throws anything at me, i *calmly* get up and say YOU LITTLE BIOTCH! -- oh no, that's just what I want to say. I calmly and zen-ly say, "You kicked me. That means you have to spend 1 minute in your room by yourself." we put a hook and eye on her door for this very purpose. i leave and and i have my stopwatch and i set it for one minute. she screams BM (bloody murder) for the entire time. then i go back and say, are you ready to calm down and cooperate? if not, and there's no H, K, or T, i sit with her. if she H, K or T again, i say, "ok, you kicked me again. i'll see you in 2 minutes." and so on. the very first time we did this, she got a 1 minute time out, a 2 minute time out and a 4 minute time out!

since i started this plan, the tantrums were reduced by about 75% almost immediately, and the hitting, kicking and throwing by about 95%. not measured scientifically of course. nowadays, she probably gets one time out every two weeks and only very briefly. i haven't had to lock her in her room for about 3 weeks? sometimes in the morning, she will throw out a foot at me sort of half-heartedly and i will ignore it because i think she's just trying to get a rise out of me. if i say nothing, she seems sort of baffled into submission. but if she really deliberately hits or throws, i immediately lock her up in the dungeon! :)

don't know if you wanted all that info, but there it is. locking yourself in the bathroom is probably just as good and a hell of a lot simpler.

Another blog??

Now that my mother-in-law is an avid reader of my other blog I feel restricted on what I can post since I know she will read it. She also sends me frequent emails about my posts -- mostly just trying to start conversations that I don't feel like having with her, but sometimes weird comments and judgments on my posts.

This used to be my blog where I vented about her. But I've repositioned it to post other things I don't want her reading. Things from my dark side.

5 things you don't know about me

I was tagged by my friend Whitney to post 5 things you may not know about me to my blog. Here goes:

1. I believe I missed true calling as an FBI agent. If it weren't for having to use a gun, I might have really gone for it.

2. I sometimes take a swig of maple syrup if I need a quick sugar high.

3. I lost my virginity on a 3-day high school field trip to Yosemite.

4. I have experimented with drugs, ranging from ether to cocaine. But I have never once puffed on a cigarette.

5. In high school my friend and I found a penpal through LA Weekly. He was in prison for murder. We corresponded with him for several months, under the alias "Ashley".

What are the 5 things I don't know about you? You may be tagged next!