Thursday, March 15, 2012

10 Times Because I Said So Is Appropriate Kids

Do you remember when you were a kid and your folks would answer one of your many, “Why” questions with the cliché response of, “Because I SAID SO!” Didn’t you find that annoying? You probably even took it one step further and told yourself that when you grew up and had kids of your own you would never say that to them. You vowed you would always answer their questions with a real answer. Until that day when your son or daughter had asked you “Why” for the twentieth time and then you snapped. Check out 10 times that the “because I said so” response really is appropriate:

  1. When your kid asks why they can’t go swimming in the winter: It’s fine to say something like, “because it’s too cold outside”, or that they would catch a cold if they did. However if they continue to whine “but why” repeatedly then you need to use the tried and true, “Because I said so, that’s why!”
  2. When the reason to their question is too complicated to explain: “Why do I have to wash my hands before dinner?” Your kid is three so it probably isn’t going to work to try to explain that germs are bad and by washing they will get rid of most of the germs, but not all of the germs. Your little one isn’t going to understand the real answer so just tell them because you said so.
  3. When you don’t know the answer: This is the best time to use the statement, “Because I said so, that’s why!” Your child asks why they have to wash their hands after they sneeze. You say, because there are germs on your hands and you could make other kids sick. Why? I don’t know won’t really cut it at that point. Just tell them because you said so.
  4. When you don’t want to explain: Your son wants to know why he can’t get an earring or your daughter wants to know why she can’t have the micro mini skirt. There probably is a good reason that you don’t want them to do those things, but do you really want to explain it? Just tell them because you said so!
  5. When they don’t want to wear their helmet on their bike: “Mommy I don’t want to wear my helmet, it will mess up my hair. Why do I have to?” Or, “Daddy, why do I have to wear a helmet when I’m on my bike? It’s not fair; none of the other guys do!” Kids think they are invincible and won’t understand so just tell them because you said so.
  6. Take a coat with you: “Why do I have to take a coat with me? It’s nice out and I don’t want to carry it. Nobody else is going to have their coat, why do I have to take a coat?” Just tell them because you said so. Because about the time you respond with, “Because it might rain”, it inevitably will not and then they will come back and say they shouldn’t have had to take their coat in the first place. It’s not worth your breath to argue.
  7. All my friends are going on Spring break: The dreaded Spring break conversation. “Mom why can’t I go to Ft. Lauderdale for Spring break? All my friends are going. What’s the big deal? You never let me do anything. Don’t you trust me? Why can’t I go?” Do you really want to go over all of the horrible things that might happen on Spring break? It’s much easier to just tell them because you said so.
  8. I don’t want to wear my seatbelt: “Why do I have to wear my seatbelt? I’m in the back seat and I want to lay down and I can’t lay down if I have my seatbelt on. Why can’t I go without wearing my seatbelt?” It’s a safety thing and you are well within your right to just say because I said so.
  9. I want to wear make-up: When your young daughter comes to you and wants to wear make-up to school or the big dance, it’s usually a safe time to pull out the, “because I said so”. She tells you that all of her friends are doing it and why can’t she? This isn’t really a safety issue so you can’t use that. It’s not really a money issue because make-up is cheap. You are better off just saying, because I said so.
  10. Why can’t we get a Wii: This works with any big ticket item that you don’t want to get your kids. Maybe it’s a flat screen TV or an Xbox. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to get it because of price or because you don’t like the games, or that you are afraid they would spend too much time on it and not get enough exercise… whatever the reason is you can always just say, because I said so!
Taken From Nanny Jobs

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