Options & Deals

I don't have many tools in my parenting toolbox (yelling, yelling louder and whisper yelling make up the majority of it), however I have found that giving Finn a little bit of control of his own destiny does help to move things along when he might be acting a wee bit stubborn at a time where I really need his cooperation.  In those cases, I definitely try to present him with choices that will help him choose the best path forward.

For example, he can choose to get dressed or he can choose to watch his stuffed animals set on fire.  Or he can choose to go potty or he can choose to do Daddy's taxes while watching Daddy eat all of his chocolate chip cookies.

Reasonable choices.

Unfortunately, my son has now outsmarted me.  Upon my return home from work this evening, weary from a full day of color-coding my email and pretending to pay attention on conference calls, Finn started begging me to play with him.  I tried to decline, but he wasn't having any of it.

"Daddy, here's your options.  You can help Mommy make dinner or you can come play with me."

Touché, young Jedi.  Touché.

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On another note, Finn finally has a Deal.  It's been a long-standing joke around our house to ask him, "Finn, what's your deal?"  He'd always reply, very quickly and succinctly, "I don't have a deal."

The other day, he got really excited and told us that he now knew what his deal was.  So now if you ask him, "Finn, what's your deal?", he'll tell you.

"My deal is that I put my underpants on backwards."

Yes, it is.