I’ve been reading the book Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel and have seen some interesting discipline ideas.  I’ve decided to try some new things with Jaylyn because she can throw one ugly temper tantrum and I am really tired of listening to the screams. 

We now have a delegated screaming spot in the house.  It’s a beach towel on our closet floor.  If she feels the need to scream, she can go do it there because I sure don’t want to listen to it!

We’ve also begun a token jar.  When she obeys the first time I ask her to do something, with no whining or complaining, she gets to put one token in her jar.  When she has 20 tokens, she gets the prize that adorns the top of our fridge—a new book, stickers, little toys, or art supplies.  So far, she has been much more pleasant when I ask her to do things.  When she throws a fit if I ask her to do something, tokens are taken out for each time I have to ask her. 

I also have a secret stash of little goodies for when she is doing something very helpful without even being asked—like entertaining Jaxon and bringing him toys when he is upset that I am feeding Ellie and can’t play with them.  She can be so helpful sometimes.  So, we now have some rewards ready for her.

One of our other problems has been parking lots.  Jaylyn and Jaxon will NOT hold my hand when we cross the parking lot.  It is a huge problem when I have the diaper bag, Ellie in the sling, and a kid on each hand.  I cannot chase them down or drag them through the parking lot.  Lately, I have to have Ellie in the front pack carrier, Jaxon on one hip, the diaper bag on the other, and Jaylyn holding my free hand.  She has been refusing to cooperate though.  So, now I give her an option—I can either hold her hair or her hand.  She gets to choose.  After one time of me holding on to her hair through a parking lot, she opts for the hand every time and now walks sweetly beside me rather than pulling my arm out of socket in the parking lot.  Yay! 

Any creative correction method you use?  I’m always looking for something other than “time out” which doesn’t seem to work too well…...