Parenting Tips

By Tom McMahon
One of the biggest mistakes parents make is not following through with a threat or rule. Kids know immediately that they don't have to comply.

last updated: October 07, 2008 02:39:43 AM

Carolyn, from Danville, shares in her e-mail the importance of following through: "When my two oldest children were only 4 and 5 years old, they had an impressionable encounter at the grocery store. While shopping, the two of them were being disobedient no matter how diligently I tried to keep them engaged in our task. Finally, I told them, 'One more time and we will leave and you will go home and sit in your rooms.' Eyeing my teeming cart, I guess they thought I was too far along to stop now. Well, they were very wrong. They continued to argue with one another. I said, 'That's it!' I brought my cart to the store manager and told him how sorry I was to leave my groceries. I explained how badly my kids had behaved even after I threatened them with an ultimatum. 'I understand,' he said, 'I'm a parent.' My two children stood sheepishly behind me, equally stunned and embarrassed. Home we went. They stayed in their rooms until dinner. Since then, my children have been well-behaved little shoppers. Thankfully, I never had to pull a stunt like that again. From then on, my kids knew that when I said something, I meant it."

Thanks to the parents who shared one of their favorite kid tips with us.

PICK UP YOUR TOYS OR LOSE THEM FOR A DAY -- If my children didn't pick up their toys, I would confiscate the toys for a day or longer. The next time I asked my children to pick up, they were more motivated to comply. -- Anonymous, Sunnyvale

FRIDGE HAS SPECIAL DRAWER -- I keep good, healthy kids' munchies (yogurt, fruit in small pieces, cheese sticks, etc.) in one special drawer in our refrigerator. My two young kids love to pick out their favorites by themselves. -- M.S.T., Springfield, Mass.

IF YOU CAN USE A COMPUTER, YOU CAN USE A MAYTAG -- I generally do the family laundry all together to conserve resources, but my husband made a suggestion to help our two teenage sons become more self-sufficient. I created a chart for the laundry-room wall with sorting instructions and directions for choosing cycles and laundry products for each type of load. Our sons can now take care of their own things in a pinch, while learning a skill that will serve them well in college and beyond. -- Lynn H., Oskaloosa, Iowa

DOMINOES FOR KIDS -- After hearing my children tell me how bored they were the other day, I got out my domino set. I showed them how to line up the dominoes in creative ways, then how to knock them over by pushing the last one against the next in line. They squealed with delight as they watched the dominoes fall in progression. They played with the dominoes almost all afternoon, and always asked me to come watch the next "knock down." -- S.D., Tacoma, Wash.

College professor Tom McMahon is the author of the books "Kid Tips" and "Teen Tips." E-mail parenting tips to him at tom@kidtips.com.

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