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:

THIRD EYE BLIND

Question: How can I get my son to sit still while I clip his nails?

Behavior: Won't sit still for nails to be clipped.

Problem: Sudden movement can cause a real injury, and letting nails grow indefinitely is not an option.

Solution: Distraction.

Activity: This depends greatly on his age, but one of my favorite tricks is to narrate ridiculously. 'First, I'll cut the nails on this hand, then on that hand, and finally on your third hand. ... What? You don't have a third hand? ...Why not? What happened to it? ...You never had one? Were you born without it?' All the while, you're cutting. Before he knows it, the ordeal is over, and he hasn't had time to worry while engrossed in conversation.

  • 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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