Thursday, July 24, 2008
Lost in translation?
As I sit here detoxing from the joint birthday bash (for Sean and Warren) at Chuck E Cheese's last night, my mind is trying to understand a little bit of a communication problem at our house. You see, lately when I tell the kids it's time to do chores they immediately run for the kitchen to grab something to eat. It doesn't matter what time of day it is or whether they've JUST eaten, they always seem to be hungry when it's time to work. I wondered at first if I had the phrases mixed up, but when I tell them it's time to eat, they don't start doing chores.
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Hehehe Josie does that too! It drives us nuts! As soon as it is chore time,"I'm starving, I haven't eaten". Weird I thought it was just my kiddies.
In my house everybody gets thirsty. I absolutely hate it! So I started asking everybody to get a drink & snack, I wait for them to tell me they're not thristy or hungry and then I tell them to do chores:) They go nothin' to say!
Ha! Sounds like a pretty good method if you ask me. What cracks me up is that it sounds like a pretty common method judging from the comments I see. Who would have guessed?
It's not the munchies that get my kids - it's the sudden urge to use the bathroom! I think that when I say "time to get cleaning up" they interpret it to be "time to go to the bathroom"! I started telling them that they could use the bathroom when their stuff was picked up hoping they would work faster...no luck! I guess they don't need to go that bad afterall!
We have the same thing except my kids run to the bathroom. I think they somehow feel safe behind locked doors. I guess they think I won't get mad that they aren't doing anything I ask because nature is calling. Wrong! I will break in to the bathroom and start my mom tirade. It drives me nuts when they all scatter to the bathrooms - total pet peeve!
When you find the phrase that makes them jump to do chores, let me know. The only one I have found that works is something like:
"Do it now, or sit on your bed."
It only took Robyn once sitting on her bed to realize I wasn't kidding. Oh, and when I say sitting on your bed, I mean ALL DAY.
Maybe feel like doing chores will take so long they better eat or else they won't eat again for long time. Who knows?
That happens over here too. Suddenly kids are very, very hungry or very, very busy to do their chores. Sometimes I bribe them. It's either that or take away fun things.
LOL!
there is a word for what my children have it's called malinger \muh-LING-guhr\,
To feign or exaggerate illness or inability in order to avoid duty or work.
Michael and Shelby have malingers disease!!!
Thanks Stacey! "malinger" will now be part of my vocabulary.
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