‘My ultimate resort is bribery’

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Not quite by the book, bribing your kids, but hey, parents are only human.

Larissa (38), mother of Mats (9).

“Bribery is my best parenting tip. “If you go to sleep now, we’ll go to grandma’s this afternoon.” “Eat your plate and you’ll get a Magnum.” “If you don’t whine when you go shopping, you can pick something up at the toy store.” Pedagogically incorrect, but wonderfully effective in getting what I want done, without a fight. Only my last blackmail attempt went very far.

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Bribery

Mats had to go to school camp for two days last June. He didn’t want to. Whining, screaming, screaming and pain in his stomach. I think a mix of homesickness and fear of the unknown. Every day he begged me to come up with an excuse so he could stay home. I was distraught, unsure of what to do with his grief, and turned to my ultimate remedy: a bribe.

In the end I hung for a mega box of Lego Ninjago, spent an afternoon bowling and eating sushi on the day of my return. And he got on the bus! It was embarrassing that he proudly told all the teachers and his classmates what he got from mom in exchange for two nights of camp…”

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