Monday, June 25, 2007

A new deal...

The "Gimmies" are a real problem with children of a certain age. They want everything they see, even if it will ultimately end of on their floor crushed to pieces under your shoe.

We have tried a bunch of different ways to avoid the "Gimmies", from losing the ability to buy new gifts for a month, to only getting one "ask" per store visit, to yelling.

The problem is simple. Stores are filled with shelf after shelf of shiny attractive packages. It doesn't actually matter what's in them, it's the possibility that gets children asking for hemmoriod cream or packages of sponges. (At least I hope so.)

So Marlena and I talked after a bout of the gimmies today, and we decided on a new deal. We nixed both sticks and carrots, because after discussing them at length she said something that made me think.

I suggested we try the approach where she only gets to ask for one thing each time we are at the store, she said it wouldn't work. I asked her if it would help if she got to choose some of the groceries, like the cereal, milk, cheese, etc. She said if wouldn't work. I asked her what she thought would work and she said nothing, because even when she tried not to ask, there were too many things she wanted, and she couldn't help it.

So she can't help it. She is trying, she just literally can't stop herself from begging for everthing from Jergen's lotion to cookies.

Our new deal? I will try not to get mad when she asks for stuff, and she will try not to get upset when I say no.

I think this just might work.

Ooh! Hatchet! I am actually geekier than you are! (Eric still beats me though, and how could he miss the Han question?)
77% Geek

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great plan. Fingers crossed for you both.
I am only 71% Geek. Sigh.

Woman with a Hatchet said...

Good luck!

Scott said...

99%.. who knew?

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