As you know, I’m not a big sports fan, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t learn something from sports. In this day and age, teamwork doesn’t seem likely, but perhaps a way of modifying behavior might be useful around the house. What if parents took turns as umpires, complete with whistle and yellow flag – it just might help bring tranquility to the home.
Actions requiring flags and proposed penalties:
OFF SIDES – Child enters another’s room uninvited to borrow an item. 5 rooms of vacuuming, return the item.
PERSONAL FOUL – Child tries to instigate a fight and/or call a sibling a name. Carry out the garbage, recycling and composting for a week.
FALSE START – Child promises to reduce video game/Facebook/Twitter/etc. time but does not. Loss of smartphone.
INTENTIONAL GROUNDING – An action that is so blatant (e.g. “Mom, I dare you!”) that it defies logic. Restriction to home including loss of electronics.
PASS INTERFERENCE – Actions that interrupt studies or homework assignments of a sibling. Offender sent to do chores until the required study time is completed.
HIT ON A DEFENSELESS RECEIVER – Tossing objects that damage the television because of disagreement with what someone on the program says. Offender sent to appliance store to purchase replacement half again of the previous screen size.
sfnowak 