Saturday, January 26, 2013

"Daddy said YES!" A story of miscommunication

You should always double-check your children's work when you give them a task to do. You never know how they are going to translate your directions. Take this morning, for example.

Setting: I am making breakfast. Aaron is in the shower. Boys are HUNGRY!

Me: Micah, go ask Daddy if he wants eggs.
Micah: ok! (runs to bathroom. Runs back). He said YES!
Me: Really?

A note of translation here: Aaron doesn't usually want eggs. I was asking to be polite.  I thought I should double-check by sending the other twin in.

Me: Benji, go ask Daddy if he wants eggs.
Benji: But I  want eggs!
Me: Yes, I know. Go ask Daddy if he wants eggs.
Benji: Ok! (runs. Runs back) He wants eggs!

I check the fridge. We only have 4 eggs and I need one to make dinner. Darn. I decide to tell Aaron that he can't have eggs. I go to the bathroom.

Me: Sorry, you can't have eggs. We don't have enough.
Aaron (from in the shower): I don't want eggs.
Me: What? Micah said you said "Yes" you wanted eggs.
Aaron: No, Micah knocked and said, "Can I come in?" and I said "Yes!"
Me: (laughing) And what about Benji? He said you wanted eggs too.
Aaron: Nope. Benji came in and asked if he could have eggs and I said, "Yes, of course!"
Me: Wow. (leaves bathroom)

And the moral of the story is If you have children, miscommunication is inevitable. Always double-check. Or in my case, triple-check.

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