a different set of rules

when dealing with my children sometimes I get caught in tracks...

daddy daddy daddy....
you are breaking the rules
you always break the rules
you always eat in the family room

you said there is no eating in the family room

well... that is not true

do you eat popcorn in here when you watch a movie?

but but
you said no food in the family room

that is true
I did say that
but... what I meant is that no kids can take food in the family room
with the exceptions of maybe popcorn or chips

who cleans up a spill?
me or you?

if I spill something
I clean it up

the rule is that the kids can not have food in the family room
while the parents are permited to eat where they choose
understanding of course that they need to clean up what they spill
do you understand?

daddy daddy daddy
can I have one of your candy covered almonds?

yes you may

can I have two?

no I only have two
one for you and one for your brother

______________________________________________

or so the discussion goes
the same goes for other things... like
no bicycle riding in the street

well...
I ride my bicycle in the street
other adults ride their bicycles in the street
but the kids can not ride their bicycles in the street
except of course when crossing the street in the crosswalk with an adult at their side
always waiting for the adult to let them know it is safe to go
so... there are different rules for the kids than there are for the grown ups

but many rules are the same
many of the rules are complicated as they are always involved with exceptions