Haven't you noticed your sauce is always flat?

Last week at some point, my family was sitting at the table, and we were enforcing our "eat four (or three, depending on age) bites" rule, when suddenly I said "The key is seasoning, haven't you noticed your sauce is always, how shall we say, flat?"

Mr. Curly thought I had lost my mind, the comment came out of nowhere to him.  For me, it was the culmination of my train of thought (and a great quote from a Jungle Jam radio story).

Cooking takes seasoning, and consistency.  Bread dough must have yeast (or baking powder or whatever you're using) mixed through it consistently to rise properly.  Sauce must have seasoning stirred throughout to taste right.
Parenting takes consistency.  We have to work discipline into our child's life, and yet season it with fun to ensure a good end result.

Lately, I feel as if my sauce is a bit flat.  We've been attempting to have fun, but really are just working more on discipline.  Which isn't much fun.

For those of you who follow me on facebook, you know that I made Curly Boy bag up toys to throw away on Friday because he refused to clean.  And I refuse to raise a lazy, ungrateful child.

Throwing them away didn't phase him in the least.  So that night, while he was at a football game with Mr. Curly, I went through each bedroom, sorting toys, getting rid of what we've outgrown, what is broken, what is ignored.
No, I didn't really carry through on my threat to throw things away, but they do all have fewer toys now.

I am frustrated, to say the least.  My kids ALWAYS listen to Mr. Curly, the first time.  It is a constant fight to get them to listen to me.  I tell Curly Girl to put her shoes on while I'm helping Curly Baby into his shoes and jacket, I go get my shoes and jacket, and find Curly Girl on her rocking horse, her socks off, her shoes nowhere to be found.  And she has no clue why I'm upset.
I ask Curly Boy to pick up his toys, I even hand him toys to put away, and he throws himself on the floor screaming "I don't know how to clean!"
Curly Baby, well, he just thinks running from me is funny, so does it regularly.  That I don't mind so much, because he will also clear his dishes from the table, AND his brother's and sissy's without me asking.

I'm trying to work discipline, responsibility, through my children's lives, while also seasoning them with fun.  I'm trying to teach them gratefulness and contentment (which is REALLY hard when you're planning a birthday party and every time you're at the store they say to everything they see "I want that for my birthday!"), for what they have, while still encouraging them to dream of better things.

Kids are like cooking - consistency and seasoning are key. 

I'm not the greatest cook, I've chronicled that here - but I keep trying.  I'm not the world's greatest mom, but I'm trying.

I just hope this season of discipline and consistency passes quickly - I don't want my sauce to be flat anymore.