trying to keep smiling: quick trick, divide

My husband taught me this Quick Trick, and he learned it first-hand way back when he and his brother were little. His dad had them use it when they had to cut the grass, and I think it’s a simple but ingenious way of having two little people do things in a fair way. I’ve used it a million times already with Maddy and Owen. Be forewarned: it’s tough at first, and there were many tears here, but it’s catching on. . .

• Divide & Choose: If I only have one of something that two people want (granola bar, big pretzel stick, banana, cookie, etc.), and I am not in a position to divide it, I’ll hand it to either Maddy or Owen (depending on whose day it is) and say, You break it in half and let Owen (or Maddy) choose which half he (or she) wants.

That person then chooses which part he or she wants. If the “divider” breaks one half smaller, then the “chooser” gets to choose a bigger piece (and usually the “divider” has a fit). It takes a LOT of reminding at first, but it’s beginning to work.

My super-smart father-in-law often had one of his sons mow a line down the middle of the lawn, and the other one would then get to pick which side he wanted to mow. How great is that?!
It forces the “divider” to think hard before mowing that line or breaking that cookie–not an easy lesson to learn, but sometimes when I’m driving, cooking, or changing a diaper and cannot offer help, it does come in handy. . .