Back to Faber & Mazlish’s books again.  This evening the girls got into their screaming game they both find absolutely hilarious, and I find amusing for about five seconds, then find very annoying.  Usually I ask them a few times to quieten down, to no effect, then end up yelling myself!  It doesn’t work.  This evening I employed one of Faber & Mazlish’s skills and, as usual when I remind myself to use them, it worked beautifully:   I said calmly but firmly ‘Girls, you have a choice, either you stop screaming or you keep screaming and end up with a very cross Mummy’ - they both (Mopsy included!) stopped!  Then Mopsy watched me while she had a go at very quiet screaming (if there is such a thing) and Flopsy said to her ‘No, Mopsy, we have to scream very, very quietly’ :-)  So I really shouldn’t discount the whole theory just because they mention own beds and bottles just once in three whole books!