as you might know from working in an environment where empty threats are common place, you start to lack respect for the people making said empty threats. you start to talk about them and dismiss what they say. the same holds true for you as the boss in the family. if you are going to threaten to discipline your children, you better follow through with it.
a friend of mine called me the other day and asked me-”how do you make your kids clean up?”
i explained the frothing-at-the-mouth-scream technique followed by a karate chop to the forehead.(works every time) but i said to him-”did you threaten to take away a possession or privilege?”
to which he replied-”yeah, but they know i wont do it.”
i hung up on him.
the bottom line is that you cant make a threat and not follow through with it. it might work with one of those former girlfriends back in the day, but you kids are smarter than that.