Q. I have 6-year-old twin boys who tend to get rambunctious when playing with other boys. How can I teach them to control their behavior when around other 'wild' kids? Recently, one of my boys and an especially wild friend were jumping off the bunk beds and my son knocked a tooth out. I talk to them prior to a playdate and explain the consequences of poor behavior and I follow through afterward. This still is not working. Help!
Girls play quietly with dolls and dress-up; boys jump off their bunk beds and knock teeth out. If that's the only injury a boy incurs during boyhood, he must be spending too much time watching television and playing video games. As you've discovered, punishment does not override the need for a boy to be wild. When the wildness gets to be a bit much for your comfort level, call a timeout. Put them at the table with crayons and paper for 15 minutes. Let them calm down, then let them at it again. Above all else, put them outside as much as possible. That's where boys belong anyway.
