Emotional Blackmailing
Children well understand the power of tears as an emotional bargaining tool, and can deploy them at will if sufficiently compromised:
The Merchant of Venice: II, ii
Be careful not to fall victim to this kind of emotional blackmailing:
King John: IV, iii
Though that’s not to say, of course . . .
Richard III: I, iii
The Merchant of Venice: II, ii
. . . that you shouldn’t benefit from a little emotional blackmailing of your own:
Terms Of Reproach
Be on your guard for previously unheard-of terms of reproach:
Troilus and Cressida: V, i and II, i
What may at first appear as a relatively mild form of abuse may in fact be the very latest in street vulgarity:
Love’s Labour’s Lost: IV, i
The Merry Wives of Windsor: III, i
Expectation Management
Christmas and birthdays can be a difficult time financially speaking. Encouraging your child to self-manage their expectations can lead to significant savings:
Titus Andronicus: II, i
Shop Shaming
A trip to the shops with the children can end up being a humiliating affair:
Henry VI Part 1: I, iv
Ensure that the affected party has a say in however you decide to proceed . . .
Much Ado About Nothing: V, i
. . . and try to resolve the incident in such a way that there are no lasting feelings of bitterness:
All’s Well That Ends Well: V, iii
Much Ado About Nothing: V, i
School Refusers
Most children go through a stage of not wanting to go to school. The key to getting them through this is to remain positive at all times:
As You Like It: II, vii
Group Punishments
Group punishments are an excellent way of delivering quick, easy and effective justice, though accusations of miscarriages may sometimes be alleged:
Antony and Cleopatra: V, ii
Be able to demonstrate sound legal reasoning behind all your rulings:
Antony and Cleopatra: V, ii
Sanctions
Be wary of rashly administering a sanction that you may later lack the resolve to see through. Remember, excellent outcomes can be achieved through epic-sounding yet non-specific threats:
King Lear: II, iv
Smacking
There’s no doubt that smacking isn’t as popular as it used to be. An extreme sense of personal violation, however, may still demand a physical response:
Titus Andronicus: II, iii
Beware of sophisticated arguments designed to distract you from the matter at hand . . .
Julius Caesar: II, i
The Merchant of Venice: IV, i
. . . and have in place some well-reasoned arguments of your own:
King Lear: II, ii
Miscarriages Of Justice
As a parent you’re only human so it’s possible you’ll get the odd decision wrong from time to time:
The Two Gentlemen of Verona: IV, iv
An improvised homily touching the precarious and transient nature of innocence may help:
Henry IV Part 1: III, iii