BECAUSE I’M THE PARENT, THAT’S WHY!

If that headline rings a bell, you might want to know about the “Appreciation Station,” a new item being pushed by a Minnesota mom apparently at her wit’s end with her kids. “Diana Low created The Appreciation Station as a way to reward her kids for what they were doing right, rather than focusing on negative behaviors and consequences,” according to a release. (And the cynic in us right now is wildly rolling his eyes…) It’s a treasure chest that holds prizes kids can redeem by cashing in tokens that parents give them to reinforce good behavior. "The Appreciation Station is a constant, visual reminder that we should appreciate and celebrate a job well done in our home," Low said. (There they go again.) But at $99.95, we have a better idea. Take that 100 bucks, and keep it around as a pile of singles. Throw the kid a buck or two when they do something right. They’re happy, you’re happy, everybody wins.