In France when I was little, parents used to just say outright "behave or you're getting a spanking right now in front of everyone." (On average it actually happened once out of every ten threats.)
In Canada, I sometimes heard "if I have to go over there I'll make you regret it!", which I didn't understand the meaning of at all, until we had lived here for a while.
As a parent now, I don't spank but I totally sympathize with the absolutely exhausting feeling of having to "go over there" to solve your kids' lame, petty, insignificant squabble of the moment. So I say that kind of thing all the time. "If I have to go over there, 1. all of you are going straight to bed, 2. I'm turning the damn game off, 3. this playdate is over, 4. I'm throwing this toy in the garbage," etc... |