Now there is nothing wrong with reasoning. A good scream or two here and there might purge the soul of some frustration. And a healthy dose of wry humor might defuse a difficult situation. Regardless of how effective a response might be in some situations, though, it will not be effective under different circumstances. What kinds of situations and what kinds of children might make these three responses counterproductive? The next time a friend or relative suggest the perfect response for you to make to a child's misbehavior, keep their suggestions in perspective.

If you are keeping a journal, describe a few people you have known that tried to crowbar one type of response to nearly every problem they had with their children.

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