“Daddy!” Erin yelled as she was about to start our 7th Wii game in a row. I had been researching some local gyms in between turns, and I wasn’t always great about pressing my controller button right away to start my turn. Erin, taking a cue from her dad during his less-than-patient moments, had taken to saying “Daddy! When you don’t listen to my words, sometimes I have to yell,” if I didn’t respond the first time she let me know it was my turn. Eventually, this turned into a game for her, and she started getting a little shouty at the first opportunity. I thought it was funny, in a Kids Say the Darndest Things way, so I let her do it a few times.
But then she yelled “Daddy!!” when I was sitting there, controller in hand, staring at the game and pressing my buttons.
“Hey, I was paying attention. I was already playing.”
“Yeah, but when you don’t listen I have to yell at you!”
“Okay, that’s enough. You don’t get to yell at mommy and daddy. You are not the mommy.”
Erin looked at me for a second, then turned away, muttering “Yeah, but I’m the boss…”
It’s hard to argue with that.
I hope my kids don't ever figure that out. :)
LOL! Wow, your daughter and my daughter sound a lot alike. We've had those arguments a few times…and the boss usually wins. Kids are such a trip.
I polled my kids who happened to be nearby—what would they say back….
First answer, in unison: No Wii for a while.
Male teen: You're the boss of you, but not the boss of me, or of this house.
Male, tutor of grades K and 1 at the charter school for his university's profs: Eye roll, "Nice try." Glare if needed.