Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Playing with the Devil

Should I warn Momo about playing with the devil?

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Public Humiliation = Good Discipline (Pt. 3)

Yesterday was a very busy day.

Mango played in a Water Polo Tournament all morning and into the afternoon down the coast in Malibu.

He's the goalie there in the red/white cap.

They did very well for a very novice team (only 2 of whom have ever played the game before) but in the end they got clobbered by both teams they played against.

In the meantime, Momo, HWMNBN and I got sunburned in the hot California sun and by the time we left the tournament, everyone was a little grouchy...and HUNGRY.

The kids wanted burgers and fries so after about an hour of driving, we trekked over to one of their favorite spots, Red Robin, which is housed inside a semi-local shopping mall.

My kids were getting grouchier by the minute and all the eye-rolling and purposeful sibling annoying was getting on my nerves.

I decided it was time for some good old fashioned discipline (MomoMama style) and I found these outfits for my kids to wear. Forget their demoralized expressions and please notice their subservient posture and hint of apology in their eyes...

Public humiliation works people, it works!

Just minutes after donning the banana suit and bee costume, my dear children were back to their normal, non-eye-rolling selves.

Mango was running around Target in a banana suit, making friends with anyone who would look at him...

and Momo was bouncing up and down in some America's Best Dance Crew vibe shouting "Yeah...I'm a Bee...What? What?...I'm a Bee Y'all"

You see, you never know how public humiliation will turn out, but in our house, with the weirdo kids and weirdo parents (and even weirdo extended family members)...
"Goofiness" = our normal state of being and
Public Humiliation always = "good (fun) discipline".

For more of my fantastic parenting stories, check out Public Humiliation = Good Discipline Part 1 & Part 2