Go Down, Moses

We've had some trouble with bathroom words. Mostly in the I'm-saying-something-I-shouldn't-just-to-get-a-reaction-out-of-you kind of way. After toying with a handful of different consequences, Bryan and I feel like, at least for Peter, we've found something that works. (We're still trying to find something effective for Cooper.)

For Peter, the first time he says something he knows he shouldn't, he gets a timeout and he loses sweets for the rest of the day. The second time he says it, he loses his bedtime book. For the third time he loses his bedtime song. After that it's timeouts until he stops. Since instituting this practice we've only gotten to the third consequence twice.

Yesterday was one of those days.

After each timeout we talk with the boys about why they were there, about what action brought on the timeout. While Cooper ALWAYS knows why he was in timeout, sometimes Peter has a hard time remembering what it was that landed him in the corner.

This conversation took place yesterday afternoon.

Me: Peter, do you know why you were in timeout?

Peter: Yes.

Me: Why?

Peter: Because one of the 12 commandments says "Thou shalt watch your words."

Umm... apparently we need to spend a little more time studying The Old Testament.