Parental Blackmail

Zoe was a pain this weekend. Lots of crying, generally crummy spirits - even with over 5 inches of snow to play in she was, at best, just bearable. Then we got a Christmas tree and started decorating. Then I told her about Santa Claus, presents, and his naughty/nice list. I've never seen a child go into "nice" mode faster. She immediately became more receptive to requests from me and Stephanie. Even better, if she did something that was even questionably inappropriate she would turn to me and say, "We're not going to tell Santa Claus, right?"

Does it make me a lazy parent that I'll use such petty tactics to keep my kid in line? Maybe. Is it 100 times better than crying, screaming, and time outs? Absolutely. I will milk this for all that it's worth, and then I'll probably try to incorporate it into her birthday somehow. And maybe President's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Easter, April Fool's Day, and Memorial Day in between. Please let me know if I've overlooked any other holidays...