There are days when I would sell him to the circus, and look. He's ready. And before anyone calls DCS, it's a stuffed gator.
In the last couple of weeks, Squish has taken toddler-itis to whole new levels. I find myself looking at this little dude and asking “Who are you, pod person, and where is my Squish?” It has been a struggle to, as the experts say, find his currency. Unless that currency is small unmarked bills, which is about the only thing I hadn’t tried. Until yesterday. They were a gift from God, or at least from one of the kids in the youth group at church. Yellow jellybeans. And they are magic beans.
I have mentioned before that no one beats Squish at savoring treats. He keeps them as a pet. Today, he carried around his little bag of lemon beans for several hours. Oh, the power! All that was required to nip the naughtiness in the bud were the words “Do I need to take your jellybeans until you can make better choices?” I could have asked the kid to walk across fire, and he would have. As long as jellybeans were waiting on the other side.
The treats worked so well that I want to buy more, but I know it’s a slippery slope. If I let the bean habit continue, where does it end? I can hear the conversation now:
Squish: Mom, I just got expelled from the university for a hazing prank.
Me: That’s it, son. I am taking your jellybeans back until you untangle that kid’s underpants from the flagpole and let him down.
But for now I’m so tempted to stick with the beans. At least until after Easter.
Becoming Cliche 
A little bribery goes a long long way… That’s what I say! The key is to never bribe with ANYTHING big or expensive because that’s where you start sliding down the slope! 🙂
I never tell him that if he behaves, he gets something. I am more of the big-meanie “If you don’t do this, I take that!” I am probably scarring him forever.
Ahhh, The meanie scars are the kind that build character… 🙂
You are brilliant.. when my kids were lilttle i would put TWO jelly beans beside their plates at dinner time. If they ate up, they could have the beans. If they did not they went back in the jar so we could try again tomorrow. TWO jellybeans.Their colour choice of course. It always always worked. And still amazes me.
When i was a teacher I would say to my students as they walked through the door. You all have an A for today. All you have to do is keep it! And I would get out the roll book and as I called their names and they said present Miss, i would write a big A in the column and that worked too..
And these were some of the meanest roughest kids you can imagine. but they had an A and they were going to keep it.
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What a positive way to start the day!
I love the idea of each kid starting out with an A. That is so positive!
I saw that picture and freaked out a little bit inside… Just because it seems like something he might be brave/silly enough to try!
Your magic beans sound perfect!
Oh, he would totally do it. Once.
Tehehe…somewhere, I have a similar photo of my son at that age lying in a dinosaur skull…..
I dont think parenting is possible without bribery.
I agree!
oh magical beans and their many powers!! Somedays a mamas gotta do, what a mamas gotta do!
And this day, a mamma needs to go buy more jelly beans!
First it’s jelly beans. Then Jolly Ranchers. Pretty soon the boy’s taking ACT tests for the athletes in exchange for jumbo size boxes of Mike and Ikes. Stop the insanity!
(Just kidding. I raised three kids using bribery as practically my only parenting tool. If it works, use it!)
NO ONE would take the ACT for a box of Mike-and-Ikes. Junior Mints, though. Whole different story.
Yes! What is parenting without a little bribery?!
Unsuccessful?
Bribes have gotten me through many tough times. Don’t let anyone tell you they’re bad.
I will work for jellybeans, too. But no one ever asked. 😦
But what if they eat them all up right away like my grandboys do? :o)
That’s the very weird thing about Squish. He carries his treats around like he’s showing them the town!
Oh how I wish my mom would’ve threaten to take my beans away in college. I might’ve got drunk a lot less.
It’s never too late to start.
Just don’t let him trade the beans for a cow because cows can get messy.
But cows taste pretty good, too.
Even though I know it isn’t real, the photo still makes me start when I see it – he is growing so fast!
I know! I realized right before I posted it that someone might call the cops if I didn’t explain. Most people won’t notice that the gator is glued to the board.
Dude, that not only worked on me then, it works on me now. Although promising me a treat works even better than threatening to take one away; I’m only a mediocre treat-hoarder. (I have poor impulse control when it comes to delicious things. I have no idea why I’m not 900 pounds.) My boyfriend uses this against me on a regular basis, which would be terrible if not for the fact that I don’t mind, you know, doing all the dishes as long as there’s an eclair in it for me…
I will was dishes for an eclair. How do I work that out?
I have a 3 year old DEFIANT tyrant. (Whom I really truly love to pieces) – I had to take him to his sister’s soccer game this week. Alone. While taking care of a 3 month old. Alone. Just so happens that I too had bought a magic bag of beans that day. He not only stayed as close to me as possible so as not to miss the opportunity to eat the carefully rationed beans, but we had a good time as he proudly named the color of each one. He was happy and behaved for the entire hour! I say save them for the situations when they’re totally necessary and go for it! ^_^
All hail the universal power of the bean!
Blackmail and bribery, the only ways to get the little monster in line sometimes. And sweets always work like a treat, hahahaha.
If it ain’t broke, don’t even try to fix it!