The short-time vibrational wave packet motion in a molecule with several vibrational degrees of freedom shows oscillatory behavior with the characteristic vibrational periods. For long times revivals will occur, i.e., the wave packet restores its initial form. For small vibrational coupling the revival times in the single modes are approximately those of the uncoupled nuclear motion. The fact that the revivals with respect to the single degrees of freedom occur at different times can be used to control the branching ratio between reaction channels by short-pulse electronic excitation at different times, A model of the HOD molecule is used to demonstrate this general scenario.