Let's take a time-out from time-outs. Kids are going to test our limits - it's in their job description. But instead of dreading how to respond, parents can seize the opportunity to create activities that are educational and engaging.

Yes, "punishments" can be fun.

Creativity expert, professor, father and former day care provider Rustin Wolfe applies his scientific techniques to some of life's smallest - but most exasperating - problems weekly at MinnMoms.com.

Here's one of his creative solutions:

Vaporized!

Question: How can I comfort my poor little guy when he's sick?

Behavior: Sick.

Problem: Pathetic.

Solution: Empower him. You're not going to be able to magically make a virus go away, but you can give him a sense of control.

Activity: One of the worst parts about being sick is feeling so powerless. Since children understand even less about why they feel so bad, the impact is even greater. This is why they ask for medicine — it's the only solution they know. A vaporizer gives a child something he can do that may help and won't harm. A warm washcloth, similarly, feels good. My father used to offer the same advice for any oral ailment: "Swish with warm salt water." I don't imagine, other than the placebo effect, it did too much for my typical aches. But don't be so quick to dismiss the placebo effect. If we feel better only in our mind, do we not still feel better?

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