Welcome back to Minor Dilemmas, where a member of Defector’s Parents Council answers your questions on surviving family life. Have a question? Email us at [email protected].
This week, Ray offers advice on how to get your toddler to sit down to eat at the dinner table.
When Reasoning Fails: A Desperate Parent’s Solution
At Easter dinner, my two-year-old refused to sit in his chair. Reasoning, threatening, and pleading made no difference. I then had the desperate idea to conjure up a monster to help: I told him that the Easter Bunny puts bad little boys in Easter eggs and turns them into chocolate if they don’t listen to parents. He immediately stayed in his chair.
Does the Easter Bunny Deterrence Work?
Since that Easter dinner, I’ve brought up the Easter Bunny twice when he’s behaving badly—and each time, it resulted in prompt, complete compliance.
Is This Good Parenting—or Just Effective?
Is this good parenting, or great parenting?
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