FRegards,
When everything is equal nothing is significant.
A few years ago, our oldest daughter worked at a day care in Austin and they were told that they could NOT tell the kid (who at the time may have been biting/hitting/whatever another kid) that he/she should stop and not do that. They had to re-direct his activity. They did't want to hurt little "angels" psyche. Time out. Hah! They even stopped that as it was too negative. Watched Bill Engvall last night and he said his dad took "time out" of his busy day to whip his @ss. LOL If ya'll have seen the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, check it out. Bill Engvall is the one who says "here's your sign"
I would have been inclined to have responded:
"You won't tell your kids "No!"???
"I See. Well, I hate to inform you, but you will be telling them NO! At the rate you are going, you will begin to tell them NO when your money for lawyers to keep them out of prison has run out and you have to say, No, I can't, I don't have any more money and mom and I have had to move into government housing."
I used to tell my jedis the same thing every time we were going out in public, be it the grocery or out to eat or the library...any time, I told them the same thing. Now, when we go out I ask them:
"Are you going to behave?"
"Yes." they reply.
"Why?" I ask...
"Because we are representatives of Jesus Christ, homeschoolers and our family." they reply.
I frequently get comments from people about how well they behave. Whenever a stranger comments in a positive way, the jedis get hypothetical "Brownie Points" that they can cash if they get in some kind of minor trouble!