I thought the Flip camera was a cool invention when it came out, but now that I’ve figured out a way to improve my kids’ behavior with it I think it’s even more amazing.

We have a family Flip video recorder that my kids used to make family movies of everything from plastic army men attacking plastic horses to capturing funny moments of Jeff on the potty to the dogs doing tricks.  I even started to carry the bright orange Flip Camera in my purse in an attempt to catch my 7-year-old doing his “Peanut Butter Cup Dance” which only comes out when I beg and plead him to do it.  (It is hilarious people.  When I catch it on tape I will put it on the blog.)

One night we were at the Grove Restaurant in Austin, Texas for my mom’s birthday, (a/k/a “Nonna”).  I saw it coming from a mile away.  The waiter placed the menus on our table and Nonna picked her seat and Grace and Reece flew to grab the seat next to her on the right.  This is when the arguing and mild shoving started to occur.  I don’t know what possessed me but I took the Flip Camera out of my purse and filmed every bit of their fight.  Later I reviewed the recording with them to see how silly it was to fight over a seat and asked them if there was another solution besides fighting.   Sure enough, Grace said “Gosh, mom I could have just sat on Nonna’s left side!”

So thank you to the Flip Camera creators for inventing a truly useful parenting tool.  All I have to do now is start to pull the camera out of my purse and Grace and Reece change their behavior immediately.  There is something about watching themselves act like buffoons on the Flip that works to my complete benefit.

Go get yourself a Flip and say goodbye to sibling rivalry.  Peace Out!