It's a terrible secret that I'm about to tell but I sense that I am not the only one bearing the burden of this less than stellar parenting strategy. It's called leverage and when I get it the rush of power and my desire to exert it is overwhelming. Each of my kids has about an hour of free time in the week. Between school, homework, sports, family and other responsibilities there isn't a whole lot of leftover time. So when their behavior requires serious redirection I am left with the problem of figuring out how to punish them when there is nothing to take away and a firm talking to isn't doing the job.