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:

NOVEL IDEA

Question: All right, I get it, provide structure, but I'm out of ideas. Got anything novel?

Behavior: Out of ideas for structured activity.

Problem: Without structure, children will eventually grow bored and seek inappropriate stimulation.

Solution: Use the tools you already have in a new way.

Activity: Novel, eh? Create a play from a favorite children's book. This will work with one child or with 30. Unlike the plays you see at your child's elementary school, this version has no rehearsals. Take a few minutes to run through the book with the children in order to assign roles and to identify possible props. Then, read the book aloud. As you read, also direct. Cue the child whose role is up and feed him his lines. The performance will be wild and imperfect, but fun and engaging. It can be for an audience or just for yourselves. The objective here is not the product, but the process.

  • Want Rustin's solution for your child's challenging behavior? Send questions to naughtycolumn@gmail.com.

  • Read the Naughty Column archive at http://www.minnmoms.com/naughtycolumn.
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