When my son was six years old I had reason one evening to bring correction to his behavior. He was playing with several children in the yard but was playing too vigorously, and I didn't want any of the children to get hurt. After a couple of "warnings" I called him in, thinking he needed to sit down for a few minutes. He had been in "race mode".
In an effort to "slow him down" I asked him to sit and write ten times, "I will mind my mother." This is what he wrote:
"I am going to mind my mother.
I'm going to mind my mom.
I am going (to) mind - I really am.
I am going to mind - really.
I'm going to mind from now on.
Mom, I going to mind.
I am going to mind my mother.
I'm going to mind anyone.
I'm going to mind.
I'm going to mind my Dad."
His creativity was hilarious, but after this exercise he was willing to listen to me and he played very nicely with the other children.
© 2008 Arlene Schwartzkopf