When I got home from a week-long trip, it was strange to see my kids sleeping in the hallway and Mark, my husband, nowhere to be found.
There were pizza boxes and soda cans all over the house, which was a mess. When I found out Mark’s secret, I became more angry. He had turned our kids’ bedroom into a gaming heaven by adding a big TV, LED lights, and a mini-fridge.
When I talked to Mark about it, his lack of concern made me angry. To teach him a lesson, I chose to punish him severely by treating him like a child.
I set a hard screen time limit and made a chore chart with gold stars for tasks that were finished. He even got animal crackers and “Goodnight Moon” read to him. His food was served on plastic plates.
When Mark fought back, strict limits were put in place, and over time, he started to understand what he was doing wrong. But the last straw was when I called his mum and she got there just in time to see him throw a fit.
Mark had to face how immature he was, and with his mom’s help, he started to take responsibility for what he did.
Because of this, I learnt that guys need to be reminded of their duties every so often. Mark said sorry and promised to do better. There was something satisfying about knowing that I had calmed his inner child.
The timeout corner stayed, a warning of what would happen if he didn’t change, but also proof of how powerful creative discipline can be.
