Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of a discipline situation not having a clue what to do and, lo and behold, inspiration strikes from the sky. Such was tonight:
Dallin sassed off to Daddy. I sat there thinking, "How does How to Talk So Kids Will Listen... handle mouthiness? And then it came to me!
After telling him how in our family, we find respectful ways to communicate, I felt like he needed to make amends to his Dad. So I gave him the choice of either apologizing in person and giving Daddy a hug, or writing a note saying he was sorry. He immediately chose the note. I told him how to spell the words, and then he delivered it to his father.
Now I'm not naive enough to think that he meant every word he said. I think he was mostly just enthralled with the idea of getting to write something, and relieved that he didn't have to face his Dad eye-to-eye.
But hey, there was no arguing! And he actually had to think about the words he would use in his letter, since Mom wouldn't just tell him what to write. (And he did have to deliver the note in person, even if he didn't have to actually say the words out loud.)
I think I'll be filing this one away for another time!
Dallin sassed off to Daddy. I sat there thinking, "How does How to Talk So Kids Will Listen... handle mouthiness? And then it came to me!
After telling him how in our family, we find respectful ways to communicate, I felt like he needed to make amends to his Dad. So I gave him the choice of either apologizing in person and giving Daddy a hug, or writing a note saying he was sorry. He immediately chose the note. I told him how to spell the words, and then he delivered it to his father.
Now I'm not naive enough to think that he meant every word he said. I think he was mostly just enthralled with the idea of getting to write something, and relieved that he didn't have to face his Dad eye-to-eye.
But hey, there was no arguing! And he actually had to think about the words he would use in his letter, since Mom wouldn't just tell him what to write. (And he did have to deliver the note in person, even if he didn't have to actually say the words out loud.)
I think I'll be filing this one away for another time!
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