Halloween over? Finally, I can use Santa threats
Normally, I would say I deplore the fact that the signs of the holidays seem to appear earlier every year. The day after Thanksgiving, now that's a good time for stores to start decorating their walls and windows with wreaths, holly and the like. After all, it's a special time, not to be cheapened or stretched out, right? 
But this year I've decided that there's one good benefit to the premature holiday madness. The more my son sees images of Santa Claus, the more he thinks he must behave in order to get a couple of those toys he's been eyeing in the catalogs that started appearing in our mailbox a couple weeks ago.
Oh yeah, I did it. The "Santa's-watching-you" threat ... I'm not above it. Because I have to use every weapon at my arsenal to control the occasional tantrum and the almost constant jostling with his little brother over toys. Time-outs just aren't doing it. A warning about naughty boys not getting presents on Christmas day? Now that's effective.
And yeah, I get that it's not the right permanent solution. I get that it's not the wisest disciplinary tool. But I'm doing it anyway.
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