My daughter is a master negotiator. It doesn’t matter if I’m telling her to get ready for bed, take a shower, do her homework, or clean her room, she will try to find a way to put it off by making a deal with me.
There is no place where her sales technique is more evident than at the dinner table. She hates vegetables, but loves treats, so she will inevitably request a Hershey’s Kiss in exchange for eating her asparagus.
Recently her little brother started following in her footsteps. But the other night at dinner, it was clear he still had some learning to do, when he complained, “Mom, I’m full.”
I said, “Okay, just take four more bites.”
You could see his brain working as he thought for a second, raised his eyebrows, and asked, “How about five?”
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Mama Dawg
Now THAT’S a master negotiator.
Melisa
He’ll be a successful attorney someday! (I think…)
Irish Gumbo
“Well, if you must…”
Madam, it is you who is the master negotiator!
Rhea
hahaha LOVE it. My younger one still has comments like that sometimes, and I love it.
My older son has become a master negotiator. I’m married to a lawyer and the daughter of a lawyer, I’m tired of arguing all damn day with everyone about everything!
Middle Aged Woman
Six. And that’s my final offer.
Anonymous
Bwhahaha! Oops!
meleah rebeccah
ha ha ha…Aw. He is too precious.
Mike
It’s the new math system. He’s just getting a head start…
Xbox4NappyRash
what economic crisis?
Tara R.
I hope you didn’t cave, let them get away with doing more than asked is setting a bad precedent. Hahaha!
thediaperdiaries
My daughter used to do that all the time. I LOVED it!!
nonna
i like that you don’t do the you have to eat it all thing. i was forced to eat my veges when i was little and it did not turn out well for me. i remember sitting at the table for hours and that horrible panicky feeling when the oven timer went off and i knew i was about to get a beating for not eating. i have been told by a cousin that i have even vomited and been forced to eat that (don’t know if it’s true or not, i hope not) the emotional damage was heavy. i can’t even smell most veges without being physically sick even today. just watching somebody eat broccoli makes me gag.
so to make a looong comment short – good for you for not forcing the food issue. if parents don’t make a big deal out of veges, eventually the kids will outgrown their dislikes and even love most foods.
Kori
I am acutally a little jealous of those supreme skills, ha ha.
AlisonH
I got my picky eaters to try salmon, which they had immediately declared disgusting and not to be considered. I simply served it. They ate it, or not, and for once I didn’t argue with them, just, okay, as you like. Then, about a week later, I served salmon again (having happily in the meantime eaten the other leftovers for lunch while they were at school.) Mild grumbling ensued.
The third time, all four kids simply accepted it as oh, yeah, salmon, okay, and they ALL ate it! Without a single complaint! I was going silently, whoa, if I’d known it was THAT easy…!
imsilentnomore
That is cute!
Karen MEG
Hah!!!
The negotiating thing is all in the girl’s arena, hands down. We’ve got a chief negotiator here too.
Weaselmomma
Young Padawan has much to learn
Heather
hahahaha. i seriously want to hug your kid. i love him, i really do. i bet he is the CUTEST thing ever.
merry christmas, love.
i hope you have a good one!
Speedcat Hollydale
I would like to trade my hershey’s kisses for asparagus!
Wait ….. I think that was backwards ???
Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!
melissa
that is SO funny because my now 5 year old does that…all the time. 5 is his favorite number for negotiations also. i’ll say…we’re leaving in 10 minutes, for example. and he’ll reply…no mommy…we’ll leave in 5.
have a happy and healthy holiday season!!
xoxo
melissa
Captain Dumbass
Has he been negotiating mortgages for the last couple of years?
kayla
That is great! I wish you and your family a happy holidays and a merry Christmas.
Brittany
HAHA! Enjoy it until he gets a handle on his negotiation skills.
the planet of janet
i love how he thinks… but that won’t last long 😉
Jamie E
ROFL!!!
O My Blog!
Whatever you do, when the time comes, do NOT let him buy his own car, go with him…lol
Birdie
ouch…he’s got a lot of learning to do *s* my daughter does the same thing and it drives me buggy!
Jaina
I would keep that going as long as possible 😉