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The Slice
Sometimes kids need to talk to mom or dad when the parent is at work.
Cell phones have made this easier than ever. So parenting-by-phone has become a fact of life.
There are half a dozen distinct styles. See which one most closely matches your approach.
1. The negotiator: Treats every call from a child as a bargaining session.
2. The threatener: Reflexively declares intention to impose harsh sanctions.
3. The nurturer: Believes all problems can be solved by appealing to the kid’s better nature.
4. The hair-puller: This parent regards everything as a three-alarm crisis.
5. The multitasker: Repeatedly mumbles “Uh huh” while continuing to work.
6. The flight controller: Calmly reacts to each call from the kids on a case-by-case basis.
Paul Turner