"Why do we always have to listen to you"?

[Papa Deuce]

Ok, and so it begins. My one daughter said this to my wife the other night. She is 4 and a half. It caught us so off guard that the first thing we did was laugh! But then, we immediately caught ourselves and had a little "sit down" with her. At which point she decided to run up screaming to her bedroom. After 10 minutes of throwing a hissy fit in her bedroom, she came down and apologized on her own. She even knew wxactly what she had done.

And so it begins........

So far, no backtalk ever from her twin.

In a way, it was REALLY funny. But I think we are back on the right track now.

 

[mommaU4]

Ok, and so it begins. QUOTE]
Guess what? It never ends. It gets worse and then you'll look like this just like the rest of us! Oh, and the whole "we are back on track now" thing? Watch it. That's what they want you to think.....

 

[Papa Deuce]

Ok, and so it begins. QUOTE]
Guess what? It never ends. It gets worse and then you'll look like this just like the rest of us! Oh, and the whole "we are back on track now" thing? Watch it. That's what they want you to think.....

I know. I see future derailments.....

 

[mom2boys]

Kids - you gotta love 'em.
My 10 yr old informed me this evening that I should not enter his room without his permission. I respect his space/privacy but calmly reminded him who pays the bills around here. And that he'd need to start paying rent if he want such an arrangement. He offered me a pudding cup as rent. Told him $250 per month with a one month's rent and one month's deposit up front. He asked why so much. I explained there's the mortgage, electric, heating oil, insurance.... If he wants to be a man, I expect him to be the man. Needless to say he decided he can live with things the way they are. Didn't even get into the issue of board and the fact that DH & I paid for the pudding cup. I love these conversations.

 

[mom2boys]

So far, no backtalk ever from her twin.

It's the quiet one's you have to watch out for. She's probably plotting right now!

 

[mallcat]

I would love to see pictures of your twins. I bet they are adorable. You sound like such a great dad!

 

[disney funseeker]

You might want to be ready with the answer to the next question,

"why do parents get to do whatever they want?"

 

[horseshowmom]

When DD was about 5 or 6, we had to sit her down one night and have one of those talks (she was always way too confident of just how much she knew about everything! ).

We explained to her (in a very calm, straightforward manner) that we were grownups, had been to college, and actually really did know more than she did about pretty much everything. She looked at us solemnly for a few seconds and then big tears started sliding down her face.

I asked her what was she crying about. She replied (in a somewhat accusing tone), "You have hurt my feelings so bad..."

 

[The Mystery Machine]

And so it begins........

So far, no backtalk ever from her twin.

In a way, it was REALLY funny. But I think we are back on the right track now.

Back on the right track? Oh you are so dead meat....

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Kids - you gotta love 'em.
My 10 yr old informed me this evening that I should not enter his room without his permission. I respect his space/privacy but calmly reminded him who pays the bills around here. And that he'd need to start paying rent if he want such an arrangement. He offered me a pudding cup as rent. Told him $250 per month with a one month's rent and one month's deposit up front. He asked why so much. I explained there's the mortgage, electric, heating oil, insurance.... If he wants to be a man, I expect him to be the man. Needless to say he decided he can live with things the way they are. Didn't even get into the issue of board and the fact that DH & I paid for the pudding cup. I love these conversations.

I love those conversations too.

My favorite is when DD5 and DS4 are doing the "its mine"...."no, its mine" thing...and just when I can't bear it one second longer - I come in, snatch the items and say "actually its MINE and DADDY's, and everything in this house is ours, so if you'd like to borrow something, I'll see if I can arrange it". and then walk away with a grin on my face.

Sometimes just the little things make me so happy

 

[indigoxtreme]

I think we can pretty much say those two DD's have you wrapped.

Seriously though, I found that discussion even at 4 helps as long as it is in a quiet tone (Yeah Right). My DD is 28 now and she had her dad around her finger, but she always respected him as she knew the consequences was not worth it. Now me on the other hand she would try to pull thing over and I would always find out. It just amazed her to no end that I know what went on. I simply looked at her (age 16) and said I always told you, I would know when you did what you weren't suppose to and then proceeded with the discussion and punishment.

Have fun, they grow up so fast, now I have a DGD at age (4) it is like have DD over again and so fun to watch her with her mom.

 

[mom2boys]

The one I really love is my 10 yr old's "freedom of speech". It's in the 1st Amendment you know.

 

[crazee4mickey]

Ok, and so it begins. My one daughter said this to my wife the other night. She is 4 and a half. It caught us so off guard that the first thing we did was laugh! But then, we immediately caught ourselves and had a little "sit down" with her. At which point she decided to run up screaming to her bedroom. After 10 minutes of throwing a hissy fit in her bedroom, she came down and apologized on her own. She even knew wxactly what she had done.

And so it begins........

So far, no backtalk ever from her twin.

In a way, it was REALLY funny. But I think we are back on the right track now.

Oh my.....We've done that too where our 7 y.o. daughter will say something that you just can't help but laugh at and then try to "back track" to make it look like we weren't really laughing at her because she gets really mad if you laugh.
This only seems to happen with our daughter, never her three brothers--she is such a little drama queen.
Glad you are feeling like you are back on track but be prepared to be knocked off at any given moment

 

[MAKmom]

My father had a great answer for that.

He said " The Golden Rule"

I said "whats the Golden Rule"

He said " He who has the gold... rules"

 

[barkley]

when my kids ask this we tell them "well, when we 'made' you we opted to include ears as an upgrade for this very purpose". (once dd figured out exactly what went into "making" a baby her standard responce became "ew mom, that's just gross" ).

i get sick of "but mom what about 'and the pursuit of happiness?". sometimes i wish teachers would wait to teach this stuff for a few more years (decades ).