Adding lies to bribery and corruption

Bribery and corruption is a given in parenting.  If you eat your broccoli you can have ice-cream, if you don’t bring your books home, your computer is off limits… very handy!

Lately I have figured out how often I tell little lies to my kids too. Some are sentimental like when we talk about the toothmouse or Father Christmas. I want to keep the fantasy alive for as long as possible so sometimes I really need to use my imagination as Rebeka’s sense of logic improves. What happens when Father Christmas gets very old and dies?  Well, he probably trains up his son (poor junior was hoping to move to a warmer climate and become a lawyer instead) who becomes the new Father Christmas. Becks being Lordy and all decided that a better and more possible explanation was that God performed a miracle and ensured FC would live forever until such time the world ended.

Then yesterday I am dropping my friend’s son off at 5.30 in rush hour traffic. He’s a very busy boy and does well in open spaces and climbing stuff, being stuck in the car is less fun. I keep on yelling talking sweetly telling them to sit flat on their bums so the safety belt doesn’t slip off their knees. My girls listen, he doesn’t immediately and they are almost weeping because the police will lock me up if they are not safely buckled in. Yip, lied about that too…. If you do not strap in the police will lock mommy up for not keeping you safe. It works!   

And my latest and most successful: the girls and Gary are full of bites, probably my fleabag cats that picked it up at the vet. I told them last night mom’s bed had fleas in so they better sleep in their own bed the whole night. This morning I am giddy from enough sleep, no one crept into my bed in the middle of the night forcing me to go and sleep in theirs. Yay!

Comments

[Bianca W]

Oh my word - how clever. I think this just may the trick! :-)

[cat]

Now that was good thinking girl!

[Coral]

Second try lucky...

1) The spray flea powder at the supermarket smells like powder - pretty nice.

2)Fleas eggs can last for 18 months, they love skirting boards.

3)If you see a flea in your bed a damp bar of soap traps them, and you can dispose of them post haste! (remove with blob a of soap, loo, flush)!

4) I used to tell my kids that parents who did not love their children allowed them to travel in the front seat, when they were 14 they could travel in the passenger seat - it is a weight factor. I didn't get caught out on that one -fortunately

[angel]

aah yes... corruption, lies and bribery, the fundamentals of parenting!