| How old is too old? If ya gotta ask, he/she's probably too old. A swift hand to the backside always worked with mine if immediate punishment was needed (as in they wouldn't stay beside me in a store - always made me nervous that someone would steal them). Mine knew I'd tell them once. Usually that's all that was needed. If it was a situation that could wait till we got home (no life or limb threatened), then they usually got punished then - as in extra chores, no playing outside for the rest of the day, that kind of stuff. Oldest was allowed to go home after school finally one year instead of to the day care with the baby. Well, the chores he was asked to do (to keep him out of trouble) were not being done and he wasn't calling me like he'd been told to do. I couldn't take chances with his safety. Back to the day care center he went. He didn't like it, but I knew where he was. He got the picture real fast. After a month or so, I had no problems whatever.
__________________ When the goin' gets tough, the tough go shopping!  |