No More Begging – The True Story of a Chocolate Lollipop, a Whining Child, the Pacific Ocean, and a Father Who Just Loses It
Summary: Kids beg because you teach them to beg. So don’t teach them.
I grew up in a house with a few simple rules, one of which was “no means no”. So if you ever wanted something, don’t keep begging or you’ll surely doom your chances of ever getting it. My mom never wavered on this rule so I grew up accepting what my mom said as the real deal.
However, in elementary school, my best friend next door had a different dynamic. If his mom or dad said “no” he went into full begging mode. Why? Because in his house no meant “keep asking and if you beg in just the right way, and you whine and whimper a bit more, we may change our mind”.
That wasn’t stated explicitly, but that what he was taught – and that’s what he heard – every time his parents gave in.
One day my friend asks if I can have a sleep over at his house. I said I don’t know so let’s go ask.
So we go into my mom’s room.
“Mom, can I have a sleep over tonight at Peter’s house”
“No. Not tonight.”
“Ok. let’s go”.
My friend stops me in the hall and tells me to ask again. I tell him no. If my mom says no it means no. She’ll get angry if you keep asking. Continue reading