Magic

I think that 1-2-3 Magic really is. Magic, that is. Intended for children ages 2-12, the basic principle is that when a child misbehaves you count each time they continue after you've told them to stop. "Three" means a time-out.
Aurora: (gets up on table)
Frazzled Mom: Get down from the table.
Aurora: (reaches for hanging light)
Frazzled Mom: One.
Aurora: I'm getting down.

Previously it would have been more like this:

Aurora: (gets up on table)
Frazzled Mom: (walking toward table) Get down from the table.
Aurora: (reaches for hanging light)
Frazzled Mom: (picking up the pace) Get down NOW!
Aurora: (grasps hanging light and bends knees in preparation to jump)
Frazzled Mom: (lunges for Aurora and sweeps her off the table to safety)

She has tested us. "Say three, now." Or even, after being told to go into the kitchen to choose a snack, said, "Say 1,2,3, silly." But generally she is actually doing what she is told to do. On the surface, it might seem odd to give her 3 chances to disobey. But considering that we were repeating things what felt like hundreds of times, three is wonderful.

Liz, soon to turn 12, told me it sounded stupid when she saw the ages "2-12" on the cover. "You couldn't use it on me very long anyway. I don't care about time-outs. I can just listen to music." But when I casually told her that it only went to 12 because after that parents could do things like take away phone and TV privileges, she reached for a pen and the book. "Hmmm... maybe we could change this to '2-22'?"

But if it's really Magic, does that mean it would be banned from the BADland?