What's Being Read the Most...

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Myspace Migration: Because I SAID So...

Current mood:contemplative
We all grew up with that; it was the ultimate "Mommy Trump Card." Why can't I (fill in the blank)? Because I said so. Why do I have to (fill in the blank)? Because I said so. That's not true! Yes, it is.. Because I said so!

It's a great argument that annoyed the spit out of me as a kid; but, I was really looking forward to using it as a parent myself. I think that it's only fair, given the fact that it was used 5 million times on me. So, you can imagine my dismay when I tried to use it on my children this evening when I was gardening. - By the way, I planted a really awesome flower garden this evening and the kids wanted to help. So, I let them help a little, but they were getting in way over their head.. and mine. As such, I told them I appreciated all they did to help, but it was time to go inside. Instead of saying "Yes, ma'am" like the great, polite, obedient children I've raised them to be; I got, "But I don't want to. Why do I have to go in?"
Ah-ha! The time had come to use the ultimate trump card!! "Because it's late, and because I said so." I said it with delicious, deliberate slowness ... savoring each word. I had triumphed; the tables had turned, etc. You know what my snot-nosed little children did? They didn't exercise the lessons in obedience that they were painstakingly taught over the years. Oh, no! They decided now was the time to show the lessons in "free-thinking" and "deep thought" and showed a little bit of obstinence, to be frank. "Mom, 'Because I said so' isn't really a reason. That doesn't make sense."

Darn, my trump card was trumped! "You're right. It doesn't really make sense. But, since I am the Alpha and Omega of this household, next to God... you've got to do it. Because I said so. That's what that means. It means, 'I either have reasons that you won't understand, I can't explain, or just flat don't feel like getting into at the moment.' So, rather than saying all that, I say 'Because I said so.' And because I said that, you do it. Saavy?" At that point, my kids knew it was time to go inside. And they did. But wasn't there a point when that card could be played without explination? I don't remember challenging my parents on that ... at least, not until I was a teenager. And then it's just expected.
Are our kids getting older faster, or is it just me?

No comments:

Post a Comment