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:

SLIVER OF HOPE

Question: How do I persuade my toddler to let me remove a splinter from her hand?

Behavior: Won't let parent remove splinter.

Problem: Splinter needs to be removed before it hurts even worse.

Solution: Model calm. Use dummies.

Activity: Don't show your own anxiety. Calmly explain what you're going to do. She won't understand it all, but she'll be less surprised by what follows. Having an older sibling to play the role of patient first can help. To make it a little more fun, line up her favorite stuffed animals. Each time you remove the splinter from a stuffed animal, make it say, 'Ouch!' and then laugh. After operating on each stuffed animal, it's her turn. Don't push your luck. After she holds still a minute and begins to pull away, if you're not done, do another round with the stuffed animals before working on her further.

  • 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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