Parenting Advice

There are some things I will never do to my kids. I've heard of people telling their kids that they're going to the store, but then they take them to a dentist appointment instead. And then when the kid finds out what's happening, they start throwing a fit and you have to drag them by their feet out of the car. And then people start staring. And then the kid pouts and throws a fit in the waiting room. But that's cruel. I won't do that to my kids. My children may whine and cry the whole way to the dentist, but they'll know where they're going. And they'll know I'm not a liar. But I found out today that it's perfectly acceptable to trick your older brother.

I didn't feel like eating lunch in the office today, so I asked my older brother if he wanted to go to lunch with me. He asked where I was going, and I knew if I told him the truth (Quizno's) that he wouldn't want to go. But I wanted to eat relatively healthily. So I said we could go to Taco Bell if he drove. And he doesn't know this area very well because he just started working here. So I gave him directions, turn-by-turn to what he thought was Taco Bell. And then right before the last turn, I said, "I don't want Taco Bell. Let's go to this Quizno's." He knew immediately that I'd deceived him. And as expected, he started throwing a fit. I had to drag him by his feet out of the car. People started to stare. And then he pouted and threw a fit while we were in the restaurant. But I got what I wanted and he finally gave up and ate a sandwich.

So here's today's tip. Just because you can't do something to your kids because it's cruel doesn't mean you can't modify it and use it on an adult instead.