Creativity

For some children, time outs work 95% of the time. For some, redirection works 80% of the time. Others find spanking (or the threat of one) works 100% of the time. But what about those of us who have VERY smart children? Chloe may only be 3, but she has things figured out! In our house, time outs work 15% of the time. Redirection works 5% of the time- and lasts all of 10 minutes! Some parents can simply talk with their child and get results. Ugh! Chloe is very "hands-on". Spankings are better- 35% of the time. But that leaves 45% still unaccounted for! So, what is a parent suppose to do? This is where those creative genes kick in! It is a continual process to outsmart the smart kid- and it takes lots of energy. At an early age (about 18 months!), Chloe realized that she was more likely to get away with something in public than at home. In this great liberal state that we live, I wouldn't dare pull out my spanking spoon and spank her in the store! But leaving the store and going to the car didn't work either. By the time we were there, she had no idea why she was in trouble. Here's a little trick that I picked up from a dear friend and wonderful mom! There is a really sensitive part of skin right on their inner thighs. Just a little pinch right there will get your point across! The beauty of the pinch- it is very private and most people don't even see you do it :) It has come in very handy in public places and has stopped many bad attitudes and ugly behavior! I would rate this little trick as a 9 on a scale of 1-10. Don't get me wrong, we don't just physically discipline only. We do talk with Chloe about why she is in trouble or why some things are not OK to do. But, again, she is smart! She will look at you, say "Sorry, Mommy. I love you," and then wait until your back is turned before she does it again!