kids respond. Phrasing a request as a question and adding the
ridiculous “we” to the statement will often ensure noncompliance or
testing and manipulation. A supersweet “Don’t we think it’s about
time to start our homework?” for example, is almost guaranteed to
elicit a negative response. “I want your schoolwork complete by five
o’clock” is better.
What if, in spite of everything, your simple request still does no
good? We’ll come back to that question at the end of this chapter
after we’ve discussed several other Start behavior options.
- Kitchen Timers
Kitchen timers are wonderful devices for encouraging good behavior
in children. Many kinds are useful, including the sixty-minute wind-
up variety as well as computer, small LCD, and even hourglass
varieties. The people who manufacture timers think they’re for baking
cakes. They’re not—timers are for raising kids! Kitchen timers can be
a great help for just about any Start behavior routine, whether it’s
picking up, feeding the fish, getting up in the morning, taking out the
garbage, or going to bed. Kids, especially the younger ones, have a
natural tendency to want to beat a ticking mechanical device. The
problem then becomes a case of man against machine (rather than
child against parent).
These portable motivational gadgets can also be used, if you like,
to time the time-outs themselves. Many kids actually prefer doing the
time-out with a timer. You can also take timers in the car with you