How to turn a scowl into an instant smile? Have a conversation with a kid--like mine:
Me: (feeling particularly cranky, irritable and kid-annoyed today) "Brandon, You cannot have any more cookies (voice rising) You Cannot Live on Sugar!!"
"No more junk today....I Mean it!"
Brandon: (After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence--actually, kind of comfortable silence truth be told) "But Mom, I like living on sugar."
Me: Just smiling. About 5 lbs. of stress and frustration melted away. Kids.