I have this great discipline strategy: I make threats. It's very original and highly effective. That's why you will always see me, calm and collected with my clean, coordinated, appropriately behaving children at my side. (No, that was not me, fleeing the Southhall Pool this morning with a child screaming "I AM HOT PUT ME BACK IN THE POOL!!! Don't be ridiculous.) I usually threaten one of two things based on the circumstances:
1. Failure to Obey - I threaten time out. If we are at home time out is in one's bedroom. This creates problems when the infraction has just occurred in the bedroom or, let's say, I am trying to get said child out of her bedroom and into the bathtub.
2. Eminent or possible bodily injury due to unsafe, often erratic, behavior - I threaten the doctor or the hospital or shots,etc etc. Again, not good when, it's, let's say, time for the yearly wellness or stitches may actually be needed.
Yesterday, as Someone lay contemplating her next deviant move, she calls to me quite sincerely, and asks "If I do this will it mean time out or the hospital for me?"
I need a new strategy.
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