trying a new tack

Lately Anouke is starting to assert herself more.  She has discovered the word "no" and is not afraid to use it!  This has lead to a fair bit of conflict with her brother and a lot of shouting.  I got sick of shouting to make myself heard and really, the situation was just escalating every time I stepped in.  So I stopped stepping in.  And you know what?  They are sorting things out themselves.  There is a fair amount of screaming still, but I think they are starting to learn valuable life skills.  Things like negotiation, taking turns and respecting each others boundaries are all being learned and I'm not having to do much.  Another plus is that the laundry is getting done because I hide in the laundry when it gets too loud.
Ianto has had another developmental leap this week and can now write his name and a range of numbers.  He was very proud of his success and copied words for a whole day.  I think he is now having a processing break from writing as he works on his washing up skills.