Love and Logic and an Enchilada

For those of you not familiar with Love and Logic, it’s a somewhat popular parenting technique that has been around for years. Personally, I like the concept and use some of the techniques but I don’t think there is one single “technique” that can work for a family. Instead it’s usually a combination of best practices that you work into your family’s style.

Having said that, Love and Logic basically teaches parents to take care of their kids while taking care of themselves and teaching kids through the consequences of their actions. No helicopter parenting here. My husband and I witnessed some awesome Love and Logic parenting at a restaurant over the holiday whether the Dad involved realized that’s what it was called or not.

Recently, while home for Thanksgiving we stopped at a popular Mexican Restaurant in our hometown (Mi Casita’s YAY!!) to get our fix before heading back to Virginia.  It was a pretty scarce crowd but there was a family with three boys sitting near us.  They were pretty well behaved for three boys J

Put one of my kids in timeout and the
other sits with them for for moral support

As they were finishing up their meal the waiter came over and I heard the Dad say, “Yep, little Johnny has to wash dishes. He didn’t touch his food.” Without skipping a beat the waiter took the seven-year-old (my guess) by the hand and led him to the kitchen.  About a minute later a waitress comes out giggling and said the waiter was showing him how gross washing dishes can be.  A few minutes after that, the waiter brought the boy back and sat him down with his parents and they left.  The dad pretty much made the kid pay for his meal since he didn’t eat it and because a seven year old will not usually have cash, he paid by helping out.  No time outs, no yelling or badgering the kid to eat.

Keep this in mind, it was obvious they were regulars at the restaurant and knew the waiter.  For those that have taken a Love and Logic class this is the perfect example of one of his “plan ahead and call the neighbor so she doesn’t call social services” plans to help end one of your kid’s bad habits like refusing to eat what they’re given.

If you are curious about Love and Logic Parenting, click here.  Your local library probably has some of their books so don’t feel the need to buy anything.

It works well on spouses too!