Same Question, Different Answer?

The boys and I made Wifegrit a cake for her birthday, (Feb 10). Moist, yellow, heart-shaped cake with chocolate icing, sprinkled with a lot of every kind of sprinkle we have the cabinet, and edged in white trim icing. I had to stop the boys once the sprinkles were starting to just pile up on themselves, not even touching and sticking to the icing. They got as much sprinkles on the table, and floor, as they did on the cake itself.

After dinner, everyone had a slice of the cake, and there was much “Mmmmm.” Before the last bite was finished, Calfgrit11 asked if he could have another piece. “No,” was the answer, of course.

3…2…1 Then Calfgrit7 asked if he could have another piece of cake. “No,” again. They always do that. One asks for something, gets told, “No,” and then the other one immediately asks for the same thing. We have never told one no and the next yes, so I have no understanding why they think it will work.

After the kitchen was cleaned up, the boys took their showers, put on their pajamas, brushed their teeth, and were ready for bed. Calfgrit7 asked if he could have one more piece of cake before getting into bed. “No.”

3…2…1 Then Calfgrit11 asked if he could have another piece of cake before getting into bed. “No.”

The next morning, at the breakfast table, Calfgrit11 asked if he could have a piece of cake before school. “No.”

3…2…1 Then Calfgrit7 asked if he could have a piece of cake before school. “No.”

When they got home from school, one asked for cake as a snack, was told, “No, you can have some for dessert after dinner tonight,” and then the other asked for cake as a snack, and was told, “No, you can have some for dessert after dinner tonight.”

That evening, while Wifegrit was getting dinner ready, one asked if he could have a piece of cake while waiting, (“Cause I’m really hungry.”) He was told, “No, after dinner.” Then the other asked if he could have a piece of cake while waiting.

After dinner, as promised, they both got a piece of cake. Before either was finished with it, one asked if he could have a second piece. No. Then the other boy asked if he could have a second piece.

Oh Em Geeeeeee! Really? Isn’t this the definition of insanity: to do the same thing over and over but expect different results. Are my kids insane? It drives me insane.

They both always do this, with nearly everything. One asks to watch TV, is told “No,” then the other asks to watch TV.

And I’m not even talking about when they ask the other parent after getting “No” from the first. That at least makes sense in that a different answer is possible from a different person. Well, except that sometimes they ask one and then the other when both parents are actually in each other’s presence. They have both done the turn around in place of asking one and then the other as if I will knowingly contradict their mother, or vice versa. That’s not so much insanity as just not understanding the concept of parental teamwork and mutual support.

At what age do kids outgrow this asking right after each other, some how thinking they might get a different answer?

Bullgrit