As I read that, I wondered what methods of suggestion he actually used, and whether I should be using similar language when speaking in public of my discourses with my own children.
(Note: I'm not suggesting my friend did anything other than what he wrote. It's just that as I read what he wrote I figured that if I had written it that it could have a completely different meaning.)
So, turning over a new leaf, here's some of the disciplinary action I've had with my own kids recently.
On Saturday, Hyrum and Caleb were rocking so hard on the grandparents' rocking chair that they tipped it over backwards right into the grandparents' curio. It was a beautiful looking curio similar to this with curved glass on the front and glass shelves inside:
They smashed the curved glass to pieces. Luckily, nothing inside was damaged. The grandparents were very gracious about it, and pointed out that it was a blessing that neither of the boys had been hurt. While true, I was more ambivalent. I tried my best to impress upon Hyrum the importance of listening to his elders when they tell him that they shouldn't be rocking on that chair at all.
I'm usually the one to put the two older boys to bed at night, while Amy takes care of Tanner. Putting the boys to bed involves tucking them in and then singing two songs: each of them gets to pick one. Afterwards, I go to my own bed, and the rule is that if they get out of bed again after I've left, I persuade them that getting out of bed is a bad idea and that they should stay in bed. Caleb especially seems to need a lot of persuasion in this area, nor do I think he has gotten the point yet. He seems to be especially thick
There is hope though. Kait, my oldest with whom I have had many discussions in the past, hasn't needed any of my particular brand of hands-on presentations in quite a while.
