Cruel Punishment..maybe, but if it works...HEY!

I'm a teacher so I get the opportunity to be at home during the Summertime with my sweet, adorable, ALWAYS FIGHTING children. Ok, they aren't always fighting but seriously they have their moments! Today, I finally had my fill. They argued about who had the TV first, who got to be first playing the WII, where they were sitting, and then legos! I had my fill at Legos. I told them 2 times to just work it out. When I left the room and then came back, it was still going strong. I then became, CRAZY REDHEADED MOM..which happens from time to time. :) I told them to park it on the couch and gave specific instructions who was to sit where, b/c let's face it, they would just fight on where they wanted to sit or who was there first, if I let them decide on their own. Then I made them sit beside each other-really close and hold hands. They argued with each other, then with me, which just earned them 2 extra minutes holding hands. Then Aidan let go..another minute. Then Makayla squeezed Aidan's hand...another minute. You get the idea. All in all, the punishment started at 5 minutes but ended in 9 actual minutes of holding hands once you added all the extra time they earned. It worked like a charm. It's been pretty peaceful in the Sanchez house tonight. Occasionally, I do yell out, "Wanna have a seat on the couch and cozy?" - just as a reminder. It then becomes really quiet, except for one little voice belonging to an 8 year old saying, "Mom may have lost it.." followed by an 11 year old saying, "Ummhmm...but that happened a longgggg time ago." You guessed it...more time on the couch. :)