Say what?

Every once in a while I listen to what I am saying to the kids, and start to wonder why I am saying what I am.

"You can't have dessert until you finish your hot dog."

Really?  Because I am pretty sure that brownies from scratch are probably more nutritionally sound than miscellaneous leftover animal bits that have been pureed into slop along with lots of preservatives and then mashed into casings.

Today's lunch for my sickie was jello and saltines.

"No, you can't have more crackers until you finish your jello."

Mmmm, pretty sure neither crackers nor jello is offering any nutrients whatsoever, so who cares if the kid would prefer the salty option?

In the case of the hot dog, it's the principle of the thing.  Dinner (such as it may be) before dessert.  No dinner, no dessert.  But I really can't come up with a reason for the cracker/jello answer except maybe I just felt like saying no.  For no good reason.  Or maybe my first impulse is to just say no.  Both of those options seem kind of "Mean Mommy" to me.  Oh well.

At any rate, I have also found myself saying what I swore I never would.

"BECAUSE I SAID SO."

In my defense, I usually try to answer a few times first.

"Don't touch that knife!"
"Why?"
"Because it's sharp."
"Why?"
"That's how it was made."
"Why?"
"So it can cut food."
"Why?"
"So we can eat it and get strong."
"Why?"
"BECAUSE I SAID SO!  Now go play so I can cook dinner."
"Why?"

GRRRRRR!!!

I suppose I assumed that I would be Supermom, never losing patience or not making sense.  But the reality of it is much messier than my imagination led me to believe.  Fortunately, both Snuggler and Cuddler are surviving my learning curve.  Also fortunately, the hot dog before dessert scenario seems to make sense to Sophia at least, as she then tucks into her meal with new vigor.  I guess I have a few more years before they figure out that I am making it up as I go along.