Compliment?

Recently it seems like I've had to spend a lot of time disciplining. I don't know whether it has to do with being cooped up because of the weather, or if it's a part of growing up, but the kids love to push each other's buttons, irritate, aggravate, and be down right mean to one another. I've preached plenty about love & kindness, but my words seem to fall on deaf ears. So then I have to take drastic measures & get creative.

My daughter was teasing her brothers, hiding toys from them on purpose, and delighting in their frustration. She hates to be alone, so I gave her a "time out" in a room all by herself & quoted Proverbs 21:9 - that it is better to live alone in an attic than with a quarrelsome woman - and reminded her that she would soon be playing alone because her siblings will not want to play with someone who irritates "just because". Those 10 minutes were misery for her, but she came back to apologize to her brothers & came in tears to tell me...

"Sometimes I think you're the meanest mom ever! But I know it's because you love me & you want me to learn a lesson."