Works For Me: That'll Teach 'Em
My tip for today is actually not my own; it was offered by a reader, Liz C. It is so stinkin' brilliant (and hilarious) I had to share it with all of you. Add this to your repetoire next time the kids are being sassy:
If the kids can't use a civil tone, they get "grounded" to speaking in a British accent all day. If they're still struggling to be decent, they're grounded to singing everything. And one day, they were on it so bad, they weren't allowed to speak unless they could sing in RHYME.
(This wouldn't work for you British girls. Maybe you could make your kids speak in an American accent, if your ears could stand it all day.)
Leave your clever WFMW tips below, and be sure to check in with the guidelines here first. Remember to link directly to your WFMW post, not to the front page of your blog.
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This is a fabulous tip. I can't wait until my kids get older and I can try it on them. Maybe we could do a Southern accent :)
Posted by: Jill | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 10:40 PM
i *love* this tip! it is so awesome. i can't wait to implement it in my own house. ha...lol...my kiddo will be british-ing all over the place!
Posted by: phyllis | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 10:40 PM
Hilarious - we are so stinkin' southern, I don't know that we could manage anything remotely sounding British..:)
Posted by: Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 10:41 PM
Oops- will try again - forgot subject matter!
Posted by: Anne Glamore | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 10:41 PM
Sorry - I forgot to tell you what mine was! :) It's a tip for making the door latches quieter in your house for sleeping babies.
I love your tip for sassy kids - my kids forget what they're cranky about when I break out the accents!
Posted by: Elise | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 10:41 PM
We already sing everything! I'm a voice teacher! I'll have to try the accents, though.
Posted by: Sarah @ Real Life | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 10:43 PM
I just LOVE this tip! We have some sassiness issues in our household - especially our 7yo. I think he could handle talking in an accent or a rhyme. Singing might put him over the top. I can't wait to try this out!
Thanks for the tip and for being the wonderful host that you are - short hair and all (btw, I have pretty short hair too & I think your cut looks cute. I would like to see the BEFORE shot, though :)
Posted by: Karen@FamilyBriefs | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 10:46 PM
Brilliant idea. I think it should be used on adults with potty mouth, too!!!
Posted by: ellen b | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 10:46 PM
Oh my, this truly is GENIUS! I can't wait to try this someday too! I might start with my husband now! :)
Posted by: WorksForMom | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 10:51 PM
Thank you, Shannon. (I said that with a British accent.)
Posted by: Smockity Frocks | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 11:03 PM
I think this would also bring more laughter and more of a light-hearted spirit to the home. That would definitely help ease the contention =) !!
Posted by: An Ordinary Mom | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 11:04 PM
I love it! I'm going to try it! :)
Posted by: Lynnae @ From Under the Clutter | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 11:04 PM
What a cute tip, I love it! :)
Posted by: Overwhelmed With Joy! | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 11:23 PM
Oh, that's good! I think I'll use it at work, too!
Posted by: bee | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 11:37 PM
When my children are so upset with each other that the simultaneously scream at me "Listen to what THEY DID!!!" I have the perfect solution.
I make them SING it. Yup. I don't think more than about 8 measures have ever passed before they are laughing at each other.
What can I say? I sing opera. Do what you know, right?
Posted by: loralee | Tuesday, October 09, 2007 at 11:59 PM
That's an absolutely HILARIOUS tip! I may have to give it a whirl with my two oldest boys, just for smiles and giggles. Ta for now dahling!
Posted by: Pink Jeweled Cat | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 12:03 AM
Okay, it's 21 minutes into Wednesday, and SERIOUSLY, I'm number 58? You all are some kinda early birds!
Love the tip, by the way. Now if I can just figure out how to teach my 2-year-old to speak with a British accent. . .
Posted by: spaghettipie | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 12:22 AM
That's really funny - we're so British and our Northern Ireland accents are a law unto themselves!!
We think we're acting Americans if we just say y'all alot!!
I just don't think it would be punishment though!!
Posted by: mummymac | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 02:14 AM
Hilarious! Although in our house this would have passed for fun not punishment most days. :)
Posted by: Jenny (Back Woods Wife) | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 02:20 AM
That is a funny idea. Perhaps I'll try it today, though I have my doubts it will work for us...
Posted by: KarenDV | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 05:23 AM
Brilliant, simply brilliant. Although, my girls spent most of their childhood pretending they actually had English accents....
Posted by: Rachel Anne | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 07:01 AM
Kudos to Liz! This is a riot. Imagine a teacher using it in the classroom! (Not that she could.)Oh, the sounds that would echo down the hall.
Posted by: Melanie | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 07:35 AM
My best friend hates her sons whining and makes him talk to her like a monster.
Posted by: alli | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 07:35 AM
Ooh, what a fun idea. It would, however, make my kids cry. And that might not be so fun. Maybe I'd change it so that *I* would be the one talking to them in a British accent. They'd get annoyed, but at least they wouldn't cry. And I'd have fun.
Posted by: Eva | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 07:57 AM
Oh that's hilarious! I think I'll have to wait until my kids are a bit older (and know what a British accent is, LOL) before I try it though. :)
Posted by: Deb - Mom of 3 Girls | Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 08:20 AM