Their incessant squabbling and bickering has led me to unleash the ultimate nasty on my children.

Yes. I told them I will send them to two separate boarding schools if they can't keep the fighting under control.

I will then sell our existing flat, get rid of our domestic helper and the seven seater, and buy a one bedroom apartment and a Smart two-seater instead.

All the money we save can go to the boarding school fees - which wouldn't cost a lot since I am only sending them to China not Switzerland - and the rest we will keep in our piggy bank.

The six year old was visibly shaken by the prospects of not being able to fight with his brother in the future. He even got a bit teary eyed, I think.

"But we can come back every month for a holidy right?"

"... Don't think so. If one of you comes back, it wouldn't be fair if the other one doesn't. If you both come back, we can't afford it."

"How about you come and visit?"

"... Well.... maybe once a year. FOr a weekend. If we have time."

"......." Wobbly lower lips, followed by tears.

Our older boy is a tougher cookie and didn't seem too fazed by my bluffing. In fact, I wasn't even sure if he was listening.

Which is bad. As a threat is only as good as it is real.

On a possibly (hopefully) unrelated note, this morning I woke to a dream of me digging a hole. I was in the hole. It might even have been a graveyard (too dark to tell).