This is Alpha, the first-born, when he was 2YO.
This is Beta, the second-born, when he was about 2YO.
This is Gamma, the third-born, when he was about 18MO.
Sneaky Kids
Feb
22
2018
Beta thought he found a loophole. He started asking us questions, but he would quietly and quickly slip the word “not” in the question, so what we heard was the opposite of what he asked (in his mind). Stuff like “Do I (not) have to finish my dinner?”
Well, his brothers caught on and they found it equally amusing as he did. Pretty soon, I had 4 boys asking me a variety of inverted questions. Then they added the wrinkle of saying the “not” out loud, but saying many of them. “Dad, can I not not not not not not have dessert?” So I had to not only understand the question but count whether the number of nots was odd or even.
Around that point, Beta gave up. Shortly after, I gave up. I told the boys I would not answer any more yes/no questions because I couldn’t trust what they were asking.
Beta, though, helped me out: “Dad, just answer them with a full sentence.”
Oh.
That was simple.
“You do have finish your dinner.”
“You may not have dessert.”
Just because it’s phrased as a yes/no question does not obligate you to respond with only yes or no.
Unless you’re playing 20 Questions. (Which Gamma has changed to Unlimited Questions).
Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes.
Proverbs 26:5
This little article thingy was written by Some Guy sometime around 6:58 am and has been carefully placed in the Family category.
February 22nd, 2018 at 10:31 am
They do turn into little lawyers. Funny but aggravating.