But whyyyyy.?? You need to be KIND!

We recently just realized what challenge it is of being parents to a strong-willed four year old. Somehow this is nature’s way of getting back with us for what we have done to our parents when we were growing up. My son is an average naughty little four years old boy. He is very active and has an outgoing personality. He loves to meet new people and wouldn’t mind going up to strangers and quickly strike up a conversation especially if it revolves around his passion for trains, cars, food and dogs. He is able to carry a more advance conversation now and loves to even kid around by being silly.

If I have a chance, I would usually read to him every night before he sleeps. His loves Olivia and David books. He is learning to read on his own but for these books, he’s had them all memorized. I would read them these books but would put a little twist on it to see whether if he really knows the story line by line. He’s got me figured out each time. He knows all these books by heart almost word by word. Each time when I insert Dr Seus characters or stories within Olivia books, he would say “But why??” which he means “why you change the story again!” Or “NO WAY!…follow by giggles. Recently he even said, “daddy you are being silly again. That’s not Olivia, that’s Dr Seuss.”

Mommy has also gotten a dose of “But why???” questions except it’s during a much different scene. See below a normal “But why” conversation:

Setting up the scene: Approaching noon and time for his favorite TV Show.

Mommy: Ok dear after watching Cailou, you need to wash your hands and get ready to eat lunch.
Son: My son’s eyes glue to his show and didn’t hear a word of what mommy has repeated three times.
Mommy: HON! Did you hear mommy?
Son: Finally answers and yell out YES yes yes mommy but really didn’t hear a word of what mommy said. He’s got a habit of saying YES first if he hears anyone of us yelling at him.
Mommy: Ok dear Cailou is done. Go wash your hands.
Son: Not yet mommy. (He even watches the credits for the show)
Mommy: That’s it dear, you need to go wash your hands and come for lunch.
Son: Give me five minutes!
Mommy at this point is growing more impatient and voice starts to raise a bit more but still gives him the five minutes. Son has finally finished watching his show and goes to wash his hand and goes to have lunch.

(Scene – Both my son and mommy sit at the table to have lunch. Son begins to speak.)

Son: Mommy, Cailou’s mom made him his favorite egg sandwich. Cailou’s mom is very kind to him. Can I have egg sandwich please?
Mommy – (Labor for an hour cooking delicious egg fried noodle but maintains composure and answers) Ok son, we can have egg sandwich tomorrow, but only if you obeys mommy and daddy and do all your chores today.
Son: Cailou does not do chores mommy and he gets to go fishing with his daddy. His mommy makes him egg sandwich with yummy potato salad
Mommy – (Starting to break down a little bit and loses a bit more, voice gets a little louder) DEAR, if you do all your chores and clean up, WE can talk about egg sandwiches tomorrow!
Son – Cailou’s mommy let him play with his friend in the sandlot and he didn’t have to wash his hands. Cailou’s mommy loves him.
Mommy – (Mount St Helen is about to erupt. Fumes are coming out. Ashes and lava are flowing down and is about the cover up the near villages at the bottom of the foothill.)
THAT’S ENOGUH about CAILOU. YOU are not CAILOU and CAILOU is not real! He is fictional. His mommy is not REAL as well! It’s all fictional! SON eat your EGG noodle.
Son – (Eyes begin to well up a bit and swallows deeply. Little did mommy know, little volcano is equally as ERUPTIVE! Like mommy like son) BUT WHY MOMMY!.. YOU need to be kind because Jesus said so when daddy read me the story Last night. This is the Truth!
Mommy – Suddenly speechless (and little bit embarrassed) and said, errrrr….ok honey, we can have egg sandwich tomorrow but you still have to do your chores.