Let me just say that if anyone is considering bringing a multipack of miniature cereal boxes into my home, IT WILL BE OVER MY DEAD BODY!!! We had those silly little boxes of cereal in our house this morning and our own miniature version of World War III ensued. Yes, I am telling you war broke out this morning over some $#%$!&@ cereal!
It is like my children could not see beyond the instant gratification of some damn cocoa puffs to the long term ramifications of bloodshed and mayhem (sound like any politicians you know?). In an instant they went from sweet, amiable brothers at the breakfast table to enemy combatants. I blame myself really, I mean, I am the one who rarely allows that kind of sugar-laden cereal into their healthy little bodies and I understand the idea that scarcity (or perceived scarcity) of an item drives the market value of the item up and this is true of sugary treats with children, as much as it is true of oil with tycoons, unfortunately, I had to learn this the hard way.
It went something like this:
Sunny (screaming): Canyon is eating the Cocoa Puffs! I WANTED the Cocoa Puffs!
Canyon, walking to the table with 2, count them, 2 bowls of cereal, ready to indulge says: But he has CTCs (thats cinnamon toast crunch not WMDs) hidden in his bedroom.
Sunny (pulls Bob out): No I don't, Bob took those.
I am sure Canyon was thinking of a way to make me believe it was for the benefit of Sunny, I mean, "Come on mom, you wouldn't want that unhealthy stuff back on the shelf (and back in power) would you?"
The war proceeds with much screaming, complaining, arguing and wrangling until a bowl of cereal ends up spilled, oh and it does not end there, because, as you probably know, neither of them wants to "cut and run". It basically came down to someone with the wherewithal (me) to instill some sanctions.
I am not sure how an abrupt end to war like this would work in the real world, but frankly, the parallels between the two make me a little uneasy. And of course neither of them was interested in any cleanup efforts. I like to think that my children will grow up and hopefully along with that will come some sense, but I am not so sure that is possible in the other context I alluded to.
In the real world, wouldn't it be great to have some large, well-meaning mother to say "Just STOP IT!" Unfortunately, I don't think the real world's boys are smart enough to listen to that wisdom.
Posted by: David P Dzatko | July 05, 2007 at 11:30 AM
OMG! That is so funny...sounds way too familiar!
Posted by: Kari | July 10, 2007 at 01:57 PM