Attitude.

This teenage attitude thing has been driving me crazy and we're not even at age 14 yet.  But I might have discovered the secret.

I've already shared my idea with Sheldon and, who are we kidding, he's not on board.  But he's a smart kid so he's already realizing that his 'tude will make all the difference.

These days when he talks back, speaks rudely, or is generally disrespectful, I pull out the 'magic eraser' and send him to work.  I give him a door frame (or two) or a section of baseboard that he needs to scrub clean.  At first he was getting a warning that the eraser was coming out but now it just appears.  Usually he marches upstairs refusing but then he will return a couple of minutes later to pay his penance.

Let me tell you - this has me looking at trim in a whole new way!  In fact, I was using the stairwell at work on Friday and noticed the dirty fingerprints beside the heavy door.  Instinctively I thought "note to self:  send Sheldon to clean this up" and then I realized where I was......

I'm going to have the cleanest, most sparkly white baseboards and door frames of anyone in the neighbourhood.  And I don't even need to lift a finger.

Genius, if I don't mind saying so myself.