Yesterday Max helped me pot a plant from my Grandpa's funeral.

After we filled it up and I put it on the shelf I went to the laundry room. I came back to find this.

Dirt, everywhere. All over the family room, down the hall, into both bedrooms and even on the bathroom and kitchen floors.

Remember how I just reviewed all those books I read and how you're not supposed to react? Yeah...I didn't follow that advice at all. I cried, I screamed, I threatened, I gave out numerous punishments, and I sulked for a good hour while cleaning it all up.

As the books predicted, if you react, the kids will do it more because it's fun to find a way to make your parents act up. So I really wasn't all that surprised when I found this in Max's room today.

I know the photos don't really do it justice, but that would be over 200 elastic hair ties scattered throughout Max's bedroom. He called it the "ball pit" for him and Rory.

Today I handled it much better. I simply explained he wouldn't leave the room until he picked it all up except to go to school. The little bit that is already in the container is what he has picked up so far. He'll be continuing to pick it up when he gets home from preschool. And I'm going to learn to control my temper better so I don't have to go through this again tomorrow.

Let's hope I'm right!