One of my kids is a real rowdy one ~ hot temper & all that. From about the time he was 2 yrs old, I taught him sign language... so when he threw a major fit (usually involved destruction of some kind), I'd only talk to him in sign (or with a spoon). He always thought sign was a "silence only" thing... so he shut up instead of screaming to answer in sign. Plus, he was doing something with his hands OTHER than breaking stuff...
Also, you can totally tell them to "knock that crap off before you get a butt whoopin" without being the obnoxious lady on aisle 3 who is scolding her kids.
And in church ~ when you ain't supposed to be talking, I can totally chew him out without anyone but God noticing.
Wish I'd thought to have done that with his older brothers though
At any rate, ASL: totally great tool for parents.
