Creativity expert, professor, father and former day care provider Rustin Wolfe writes a weekly MinnMoms parenting advice column that uses creative punishments to put a positive spin on negative behavior.

Here's one of his creative solutions:

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

Question: When I tell my third-grader it's time to come inside, he ignores me. How can I get him to come when I call?

Behavior: Continues playing outside despite being told to come in.

Problem: When outside play time is over, it's time to do stuff inside.

Solution: If you're looking for punishments, you've already erred. Put more energy into setting the expectations beforehand.

Activity: Before he goes outside, discuss how much time he has to play. As the time is coming to an end, give him a heads-up. Yell to him, "10 more minutes... 5 more minutes... 2 more minutes... 1 more minute... 30 seconds... 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Time to come in." This will allow him to mentally prepare for the end of outdoor play.

If you anticipate the countdown won't be sufficient, then discuss the consequences of not listening beforehand. One nice consequence could be the amount of your time he wastes will be the amount of time he owes in helping with your chores. He can serve his time immediately or before the next time he wants to go out.

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