Cruel and unusual punishment???

Today I have had it. My children have been fighting, arguing, and tattling ALLLLLLLLL day. Calgon, take me away!

I figured it was because they have been couped up in our little house together all winter so I suggested that they go outside and play in the backyard while I made dinner.

No such luck though. The crying, fighting, pushing, yelling, and arguing continued. Once I was sure the whole neighborhood could here how mean my children were being to each other I stepped out on the porch and calmly invited them all back inside. They followed me into the playroom where I piled up all of their bean bags and told them that I wanted them touching noses for 10 minutes. "No... I'm not joking," I said. "Lay down and touch noses until you're back in love with each other, I'm DONE with all of the fighting!"

I used to have a similar punishment when I was little which involved having to stand there hugging a sibling I had been fighting with until love oozed out of our pores. But I was dealing in bulk today so this is what I came up with. I hope I'm not reported to CPS for cruel and unusual punishment because it actually seemed to do the trick.

At first the kids giggled, thinking this was the craziest consequence yet, then one of the kids made a mean comment saying, "Ew, your breath smells like beef jerky."

So another rule was added. "No talking unless the comments were loving and kind."

So the next thing I heard was "You're breath smells like beef jerky and that is my most favorite snack ever." They stayed like this for quite awhile, until dinner was finished. Nose to nose, with a lot of giggling going on :) At last....Love was oozing out of their pores and I was in a much better mood. :)