Maintaining the Peace

My three kids are about three-plus years apart. Our home was created to be a safe haven for all of us. I know that sounds a little “up there,” but we had a few simple rules:

1. If your friends come over and they won’t let the younger kids play, send your friends home. (Our house was pretty cool with lots of toys; no one wanted to go home.) Over time, some kids were asked to leave, and the message was sent loud and clear: the littler kids were “allowed” to stay.
2. I listen to people’s issues all day at work. I don’t want to be in the middle of my kids fighting with each other at home. Perhaps a little dramatic, but when my kids were older and started fighting, each trying to get my attention, I locked myself in the bathroom and told them when they stopped fighting I would come out. I had enough of that stuff at work. In other words, don’t give more attention to bad behavior.