quick trick: how to eliminate bickering

Do your kids bicker?

About where they sit in the car. . . or who gets the last bowl of the ‘good’ cereal?

About who gets the first shower, the comfy seat in the living room, or the chance to talk to Nanny & Pap first?

About which show to watch, which person they get to ‘be’ for Just Dance 3, or which Barbie they get to play with?

Mine do.  And some days, my head feels like it’s going to explode by 6pm.

But this little Quick Trick has helped put an end to a lot–a LOT, not all, but A LOT–of the everyday bickering under out roof.  Along with other things, like our Gem Jars and Game Tickets, this makes up one piece of the ‘proactive parenting’ puzzle.

Here’s the skinny. . .

• How to Eliminate Bickering– My Day, Your Day:  We started this years ago, when Maddy was 5, Owen was 3, and Cora was barely 2 years old, and we used it for a good long time.

And we’ve just now brought it back, like a favorite pair of jeans, with Maddy being 8, Owen 6, and Cora 5.  And I’ve realized that we really needed it.

I’ll take anything I can get in this game:

As the kids get older, they naturally have more freedom; they have–and need–more room to move.  Which means more time to play together downstairs, out back, or in their rooms.  Which means more opportunity to bicker over little silly things.  Sure, we often jump in when we need to, to help them work through conflicts, struggles, and challenges.  But this lil baby makes things easier for us.

And I have faith that this simple, little Quick Trick will hopefully make this parenting gig a wee bit easier and reinforce for our kids the need for patience, turn-taking, and priority.

Do you have a Quick Trick–something that has saved your sanity on more than one occasion? Hold tight. I’m going to start asking the experts–YOU!–to share yours!