My daughter is missing the point.

"Penalty boxes" (aka time-outs) are supposed to be dreaded episodes of consequential discipline for serious transgressions, such as, just as a for instance, throwing a Wow Wow Wubbzy hand-held video game squarely at your brother's head. The appropriate attitude should be dismay at having gotten oneself into this situation, contrition for the act, and a resolve not to do it again. At least for the next half hour. Apparently it's not working out that way.

Hallie's penalty box is a booster seat strapped to a folding chair, placed in the living room (where it clashes horribly with the surrounding decor) because it's the only place boring enough to (hopefully) engender the proper spirit of reflection and apology. Eli wandered downstairs this evening and happened to see her sitting in it (after the video game incident), and, because conversation or vocalizations of any kind are strictly prohibited while in penalty box, he quickly averted his eyes so as not to engage her--but not before she gave him a saucy wink, grabbed the dangling, unused safety strap, and buckled herself in.

A minute or so later, the timer went off, signaling the end of the allotted time, and Eli came back around the corner to tell her she could get up now--the next step being apologizing to her brother for braining him. She refused.

"I can't, Daddy. I'm still in the air."

Apparently she had just come from a lavish ball, and was jetting home--Princess Airline, no doubt--and could not possibly get out of her chair, because the seat belt light was not on, and she could clearly see the ground far, far below, so it just wouldn't be safe to wander around the aircraft before it landed.

Sigh.

I think we need a new disciplinary tool.