Disciplining Renzo is not a tough job anymore, ever since we introduced "thinking corner", the staircase next to my in law's unit for Renzo to reflect on his misbehavior. Renzo has been sent to the "thinking corner" once in a while, when he refuses to admit his mistakes after our reasonable attempts to correct him. When he throws tantrums for no reason or have unreasonable requests, most of the time we just need to mention the word "thinking corner", he knows what to do immediately and only on rare occasions when he's really out of control, we have to send him there and I do believe it works better than yelling and hitting.
I didn't realize the effectiveness of "thinking corner" until last Sunday, when Renzo talked to me about buying angry bird toy on our way to Toy R Us.
Renzo:"Mummy, number ONE thing, mummy must get a blue angry bird;
number TWO thing, Renzo must get a black angry bird;
number THREE thing, Daddy must get a red angry bird!!"
I wasn't paying attention to what he said till he asked me: "Mummy, what's the number ONE thing huh?"
I gave him a blunt look, and he continued:
"You FORGET huh??!!!, Let me REPEAT!!"
He went on to repeat his number ONE to number THREE thing again and I had to control really hard not to burst out laughing.
I then repeated what he said and he was extremely excited this time, "Mummy, you are so good! Tick!! I give you a star!!" He's talking like a teacher, again.
I am very sure that he has learned the way how Daddy disciplines him at the thinking corner. Daddy usually talks to him like: "Renzo, there are 3 things you need to remember, first thing... second thing....and third thing..."
It seems that there are definitely certain things instilled into his mind at the "thinking corner" =) As a reward, he got his BLACK angry bird soft toy, just as he wished!!
