The love step

By Cooper

Each of us has at least one parenting trick that we've nailed. I RULE in my area of expertise (maybe not tomorrow, but at least today):

The Love Step.

Yep, you heard it here first, an innovation in sibling rivalry so supreme you will never have to utter another "Come on guys, stop it," again.

It is beautiful in its simplicity. When a fight breaks out that is obviously not going to be settled before blood is drawn, send the dueling party to the bottom step of the staircase. I call it "The Love Step."

Here is the rule: all involved have to stay on the step until there is genuine laughter, or at the very least, good will accepted among all. Sometimes the step takes a minute, other times it goes like this:

"Oh no, do I have to sit next to her?"

"Hey, Mooooooooom, he's getting off the Love Step. Tell him he's going to lose his Game Boy."

"I am never leaving the step, I am going to stay here forever."

I have a pretty steady success rate with this method, and usually there are smiles and a new attitude born from the Love Step incarceration in under six minutes.

If only the Love Step worked on my biting, hair pulling, hitting 18-month-old. I gave you my trick, do any of you have one for me?

Cooper is the parent of two girls and two boys, ages eight to one. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pa., with her husband and children.

Comments

[yvonne]

I too have that biting, hiting, sometimes nasty little creature called a 2 year old. Can we put them into a bag until they are civilized? :-)

[Shelley Krause]

Great tip, and here's mine:

Here are two invented laws of physics which I have established and hold to be true in our family:

Whining makes time go slower.
Singing makes time go faster.

My four year old now regularly bursts into song when he's eager to get to a friend's house. How cool is that?!

[Gina]

I love your idea. I can't wait to try it myself! Those kids don't know what they are in for . . . .