(Wow, I just noticed this is my 500th post!)
Dallin has figured out the perfect way to get out of doing anything: claim helplessness. I can be in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he can be sitting on the couch reading a book, and he will want me to bring him a drink of water. I can say, "You are welcome to have a drink of water. You know where the cups are; come get a drink", and he'll reply with, "But you're closer to the water!" This has been an ongoing pattern. Sariah, on the other hand, has no qualms about pulling up a chair, getting a drink of water, and taking a bath in the sink while she's at it.
This morning we were discussing the chores for the day, since Dallin has a day off school. I mentioned that we needed to wash bedding, and asked him to take the sheets off his bed. His response? "But I don't know how to take the sheets off my bed."
Then, a minute later, we had this conversation:
Dallin: Do I need to put my blankets on the bed?
Me: Yes, fold them and put them on your bed.
Dallin: But I don't know how!
Me: Sure you do.
Dallin: No, I don't.
Me (who always tries to be so careful to not compare children, but come on, this is getting ridiculous!): Sariah knows how to fold things!
Dallin: Well, that's because she's a girl.
Me: There is no special advantage to being a girl when it comes to knowing how to fold blankets.
Dallin: Well, you do it all day when I'm gone. You always fold blankets. I play basketball instead.
Me (muttering to myself): Let's have a little lesson in the basics of feminism.
Dallin: Hey, what's feminism?
Methinks someone is going to be getting some really great practice in blanket-folding today!
Dallin has figured out the perfect way to get out of doing anything: claim helplessness. I can be in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he can be sitting on the couch reading a book, and he will want me to bring him a drink of water. I can say, "You are welcome to have a drink of water. You know where the cups are; come get a drink", and he'll reply with, "But you're closer to the water!" This has been an ongoing pattern. Sariah, on the other hand, has no qualms about pulling up a chair, getting a drink of water, and taking a bath in the sink while she's at it.
This morning we were discussing the chores for the day, since Dallin has a day off school. I mentioned that we needed to wash bedding, and asked him to take the sheets off his bed. His response? "But I don't know how to take the sheets off my bed."
Then, a minute later, we had this conversation:
Dallin: Do I need to put my blankets on the bed?
Me: Yes, fold them and put them on your bed.
Dallin: But I don't know how!
Me: Sure you do.
Dallin: No, I don't.
Me (who always tries to be so careful to not compare children, but come on, this is getting ridiculous!): Sariah knows how to fold things!
Dallin: Well, that's because she's a girl.
Me: There is no special advantage to being a girl when it comes to knowing how to fold blankets.
Dallin: Well, you do it all day when I'm gone. You always fold blankets. I play basketball instead.
Me (muttering to myself): Let's have a little lesson in the basics of feminism.
Dallin: Hey, what's feminism?
Methinks someone is going to be getting some really great practice in blanket-folding today!
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