My own Lateral Thinking

When my kids were little, I didn't want to fight with them. I reasoned that as I was older, there were loads of ways I could outsmart them.

When it came to getting dressed in the morning, we didn't have to argue about them wanting to wear summer clothes in winter or anything of that sort, so I chose two suitable outfits and let them choose which they wanted to wear. They felt they were choosing and I was happy that they were wearing something suitable.

They both love vegetables and can't get enough of them. How did that come about? Well, we planted a vegetable garden and told them they must not go there while the veggies were growing. Being kids, that was the first thing they did - made a bee line for the veggie patch. We had lots of marvellous veggies but we never got any as far as the dinner table because the kids ate them as they picked them. Michelle used to go round stealing broccoli off people's plates and it is still her favourite vegetable to this day. Stolen food is always better so if you want them to eat something, tell them they mustn't eat it because it is special - and leave it where they can 'steal' it.

I have a mentally ill friend. She can't go into shops because of her anxiety levels. She needed summer clothes because she had none and her carers and her mum had been telling her to get some because it is too hot to be going around in long sleeved track suits. She needs clothes but can't go into a shop, so how do we get around that? She came to town with me and looked after the scooter and the dog while I went inside. I chose a selection and asked the manageress if she could come outside with me to show my friend the clothes, explaining that she had trouble with her nerves and was too scared to come into the shop herself. The manageress was pleased to help and we went outside to let my friend look over the selection and decide what she wanted. I went back in and paid for it and we went home. We were told we could return any of the clothes within 28 days if they still had the labels on them so she can try them on at home and if any need to be returned, there will be no difficulty about that.

A lot of life's problems can be managed if you use your imagination and think outside the box.