Outsmarted

Why do we say "no'? Sometimes out of necessity, but sometimes out of habit.  Its almost like a reflex. Your child opens their mouth and out flies "NO!".  It comes out before we have even fully thought out or even created a defense for the answer.  This story is  a perfect case in point of why as parents we should always think before we say no.  Have a good reason for giving it or you may just be outsmarted.  Thanks to my mouth for working before my brain and spitting out "NO!" I was outsmarted by my child just shy of her 3rd birthday. 

Monkey "Can I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast?"
Me: "NO!  We don't eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast!" (Really!?! Why not?? Is that a law?) 
Monkey: "What can I have?"
Me: "Cereal, waffles, muffins, toast."
Monkey: "Toast?"
Me: "Sure, toast is a great breakfast choice!"
Monkey: "Toast with jelly?"
Me (in my brain) "OH CRAP!" and then out loud "Suuuuurrrreeee."
Monkey: "Could I have toast with peanut butter on it?"
Me: "Weeeeeelllll, you could."

Hmm...did you figure out where this is going. At this point in the story I started to take the peanut butter, jelly and bread out of the cabinet in preparation for the best pb and j my child will probably ever eat.  

Monkey, in her best 15yr. old voice: "So Mom,  if I have peanut butter and toast and I can have jelly and toast, can I have peanut butter and jelly on toast?"
Me, with a resigned sigh: "Sure, kiddo.  I am making it right now."

Why I said no to pb &j for breakfast is beyond me.  Look at her rationale- it makes perfect sense.  We do eat peanut butter or jelly on toast and there was no reason she could not have the two together for breakfast, except that my Mommy brain was set on "NO!".

Note to self: Think before you speak and have that defense prepared unless you want to continue to feel as if your child is smarter than you.



“Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not commit adultery. Don't eat pork. I'm sorry, what was that last one?? Don't eat pork. God has spoken. Is that the word of God or is that pigs trying to outsmart everybody?”  Jon Stewart