Stories I Told My Sons ~ Problem Solved !

My sons are now 36 and 33, they of course know

they were just stories....

but they were for their own good!

Wet Hair

 I didn't want them going to bed with wet hair and my youngest really

didn't care for having me blow dry his hair.  He put up the biggest fuss.

My story solution,

" If you don't let me dry your hair you will permanently have hair like Cyndie Lauper"

Problem solved.

~

Cavities 

I had never had a fondness for trips to the Dentist so it was important to me 

as a Mom to help my boys prevent such trips!

Besides teaching them to brush properly I knew food and drink also had an affect.

I knew never to put a baby down with juice in a baby bottle, it sits around the rim of their teeth...

 and when they did get juice it was diluted with water.

I never bought soda when they were little, nor cookies.
We did Graham Crackers and milk :-)
A dentist told me one of the worst things on kids teeth, 

potato chips!  

When they chew them up it packs into the crevices and in between the teeth.

So of course sugar was a biggie for this Momma;

My story solution,

"There are candy bugs in all things sweet and they will eat holes in your teeth"

Imagine, the thought of bugs in their sweet little mouths,

Problem solved.

If given the option of a piece of cake or and apple,

they would take the apple every time :-)

~

Restaurant Do's and Don'ts

In an effort to teach and still have a life outside the home it was important to start taking my kids

to restaurants a an early age, high chair age in fact. Granted it was always to family restaurants until they learned and I was confident they would behave.  I never wanted my kids behavior to put a damper on someones night out to a nice restaurant away from their own children :-)

So of course we learned the basics, you sit on your chair, booster seat, high chair whatever.  You do not stand, you don't pound your silverware, you don't yell or scream...by all means do not throw a fit!!

In order to avoid a long process of teaching and frustration on every ones part....

The story solution,

" Do you see that man over there?"
(could be a manager, bus boy, no matter...just picked the biggest one ) 

 "This is his restaurant and if you misbehave he will come over and have a word
with you and may then throw you out".

From then on they always kept their little eyes peeled for the "man".

Problem solved.

~

The Step Up

As we moved up to fancy restaurants at the age of about 5 and 8 the napkins of course became cloth.

Now the focus was ordering their own food, the best of manners, use of which fork, spoon, explaining why bread it on a plate and oil on another? 

 Step one was always unfold the napkin and put it on your lap....must be in place prior to taking a bite!

Here the story deal/solution;

If you forget to do so you must step outside the restaurant door and sing your ABC's, if in a home one would step in to the adjoining room and sing their heart out for all to hear.

Once my husband forgot his napkin at a dinner we were invited to....was he embarrassed when the 

boys reminded him of the deal.
Yes, he stepped into the next room and sang so
 so all could hear.

Problem solved

~

My all time favorite was not a story, it was the rule!

Attitude Re-adjustment Rule

If you have a bad attitude you will go into your room, lay on your bed and think about changing your attitude.  If and when you choose to change your attitude to a pleasant respectful one, come on out!

Sound easy...the catch,

no t.v., no music, no books, no magazine, no toys.

Just a boy and his bed :-)

 How long was up to them, either way no bad attitude was in the family living space.

My oldest caught on fast...he was in the room not 5 minutes and was out stating he had a better attitude.

My youngest....in the room for a good hour....strong willed little guy :-)

Bad attitude, problem solved....

That's all I've got in the memory bank today ...

reflecting on some things that worked, is what echos on in my heart today...