Time Out

Today I realized something else in life that crosses all language barriers -- disciplining children. I may be a hopeless case for learning how to play soccer like a Spaniard, but today the coach did teach me a few things about how to control kids. And not a single one of these tips requires language:

• Throw the soccer ball as far as you possibly can. Then tell the kid that tried to slack on the warm up to go get it.
• Ignore the very existence of the whiner in the corner. If you pretend he's not there, maybe he actually will disappear.
• When a kid won't stop tickling everyone else, pick him up by his elbow and move him out of arm's distance (which isn't really that far for a seven-year-old) from the others.
• If somebody won't stop sucking his thumb, just slap it away. No need for words.. it's obvious why he shouldn't be doing that.