Discipline.

It's the end of February vacation, which does not seem like any sort of holiday to me. Today I have broken up dozens of quarrels brought on by, for starters: proximity, irritability, over-tiredness, weather-induced confinement, bossiness, territoriality, and a two-year-old's spontaneous bursts of rage and "How could you betray me?"s.

Marley and Rudy and I have had actual consecutive minutes of peace today. These stretches have been rare, though, since they have had enough of each other at this point in the week. The good news is, it's Friday, Beanie will be back in school and gymnastics and ballet in just a couple of days, and I still believe, somewhere deep inside, that the snow will melt eventually.

Anyhow, this afternoon my children depicted three tableaus from the procedure known by many as a Time-Out, and by Rudy as "Sit the Steps." [Disclaimer: Please note, the interpretations expressed here are those of the actors and do not necessarily represent the parenting styles of their mother or father.]

Step One: Administer an arbitrary punishment following a tender lullaby. (Note Marley's big-sister total control tendencies and Rudy's insistent requests to alter the script. This could've just as easily spiraled into two, no, three - counting my own - meltdowns.)

Step Two: Set the timer so that the perpetrators will have some time to calm down. If this doesn't go as planned, collapse on the floor in a sobbing heap.

Step Three: Debrief with the transgressors about the nature of their crimes and the reason for their isolation. Make sure they understand what is expected from them in the future, and be sure that they understand they are always, always loved. Remember the lullaby? If this fails, use your magic wand to sparkle some sense into them.