quick-fingersI'm Smarter than a 4th Grader-for now!
love em
I know I already posted my gripes about Halloween candy. Here's one more:
My kids had way too much Halloween candy--way too much, like 100 pieces too many. (My daughter counted 125 pieces already.) Plus for some odd reason, they come home from school and activities with more candy!
Huh? I'm guessing it's because all the teachers are trying desperately to get rid of their candy.
Anyway--that's not the point. The point is I HID THEIR CANDY.
Actually that's not the point either. Although it does beg the question: "Does that make me a mean parent?"
Here IS the point. I found the BEST hiding place ever, and I mean EVER. (Sorry- I can't let you in on it, because my kids read my blog.) Anyway, its the best hiding spot ever, because it's virtually right under the kids' noses, but they still can't find it.
That's right kiddos right underneath your noses. Smell any chocolate lately?
In fact, one night (after they'd already devoured their sugary treats from school) my kids begged and begged for more candy. And begged. And begged. I guess they figured they had nothing to lose since my answers were relatively consistently: no, NO, NOOO, and triple NO.
So I came up with a plan. IF my kids could FIND their candy bags than they could have their candy. Afterall what did I have to lose? Either they'd eventually find the candy and finally shut up, or they wouldn't find it and I would win! I had enough confidence that either way this little impromptu scavenger hunt would easily earn me a half-hour of piece and quiet.
YEAH! Oh, YEAH! I'm talking about close to an hour. Yes, an hour with only minor interruptions to ask for hints. (Which, by the way, I doled out just enough hints to keep them busy!)
And here's where it got tricky. These kids tried to outsmart thier mom: my 6 and 9 -year-old tried to pull a fast one on me---a really, really, really good fast one. And they would've pulled it off too!
Listen up Parents-- This is how kids learn our secrets: THEY PRETEND THEY ALREADY KNOW THEM.
And if they're good, they'll use props to fool you.
Here's how my kids almost pulled off the gig. The little one found a stray sucker--probably thanks to the school, popped it in her mouth and strode her confident little bum over to me. "Hey, mom," she announced. "We found the candy bags."
"Well, good for you," I said. "Where'd you find them at?"
"Umm, the kitchen."
"Oh, well, how many times did you look in the same place before you found them?"
"About three times. You hid them really good."
"Yes, I did," I said, proud of myself."Who found them ?"
"LoLo, did."
"Excllent. Enjoy your candy."
After about three or four minutes of silence, I hear: "Mom, Snickers hid three pieces of candy in her bedroom. Well, they had worked rather hard for their candy right. I should mention that during much of this time, I'd been tied up trying to get B-Boy to go to bed and stay in bed. So to their surprise and I guess mine too, I said: "Excellent, just don't leave any wrappers for me to find." And for proper parenting emphasis, I added: "And put your candy bags away NOW!"
"...where should we put them away?"
"Where you got them from!"
"...ummm, the kitchen......"
"Yes! The kitchen."
"....where in the kitchen?"
"Where you found them at in the kitchen. Where else?"
"....can you, ummm.....remind us....where that would be?"
Ah hah!! The gig was up.
I got you, suckers. Oops, I mean: I got you sucker-eaters!
