A United Front

Having five kids in the house we have certainly had our fair share of these little angels attempting to play us against each other. It typically starts with little ones when they’re little, over little things like an extra pack of fruit snacks or extra time to watch a TV show. And then of course as they get bigger, so do the requests. Can I stay out an hour later? Can I stay at this persons house? Human nature tells them to shop the best answer! If you want more candy, ask dad, if you want designer jeans, ask mom.
Each one of our kids has tried to shop my husband and I for the best answer, the one that would benefit them the most.
Until this past summer when it all came crashing down. One of our older kids tried to pull off the ultimate “shop”, and it actually caused a riff between my husband and I. That’s when we broke it down for them once and for all.
For any major questions like curfew, sleepovers, purchases or other commitments- you ask both parents- and this is how the equation goes: a YES+NO= NO. A NO+YES=NOOOOOO Any equation that contains a NO, yields a sum of NO.
We explained to them how pitting Mom and Dad against each other for their own benefit was actually a lose/ lose for everyone! Because at the end of the day, if the mommy/ daddy thing isn’t right…none of ya’ll are going to be right!