Zeno's Bar & Grill

Pull up a chair and pop open a Pacifico. It's time for Thirsty Thursday. Join us if you want, invite a friend, and/or come back next week when we'll have a new Special. Today’s theme…The D Word: Discipline.

Your kids are fighting over the same toy in another room. You hear screams, accusations of “he/she took my toy” and one child comes crying to you. What do you do next?

Kelly: Unfortunately it really depends on my mood, and what millionth time this is happening for the day. Sometimes I’ll make like Solomon trying to unravel the threads of who the toy belongs to, who had it first, and why the other person took it away. If it is a favorite possession it automatically goes back to the owner. Other times I’ll just take the toy away from both of them.

Melanie: I pretty much always give the toy an automatic “time out”—typically by stashing it on top of the fridge. They often just forget all about it after a few minutes. Maybe I’m too mean, but I never try to figure out the backstory. I just take it away.

Your child is throwing a tantrum in the grocery store because he/she wants the sugar frosted cocoa bombs. He/she is yelling and everyone is looking at you. What do you do?

Kelly: Actually, knock on wood, this hasn’t happened in my six years of being a mom. Sometimes they pout a bit when I say “no”, but no full blown tantrums as of yet. I know I would stick to my guns and not give them what they asked for, but I don’t know what I would do with the child. I think it is probably one of those situations that you would just have to play by ear.

Melanie: I haven’t had this exact situation, but my kids have made plenty of noise in public when they’re displeased for one reason or another (especially my youngest for some reason). I have found that acting completely impervious nips these in the bud. It’s a little embarrassing to be pushing a cart with a screaming kid and humming as if I don’t have a care in the world, but it only lasts a minute or two.

Your child won’t put on his/her shoes and it’s almost time to leave for school. What do you do?

Kelly: Make them walk to the car in their bare feet. If shoes are still not on the feet during the drive to school, then they would go to school with bare feet. My kids have got in to the car before with no shoes, but it’s never gone any further.

Melanie: Me too! I am so glad I’m not the only crazy mom who does this. I’ve come perilously close to putting them in the car in their underwear a couple of times.