no use
"It's no use, Dad." "What's no use?"
"Dad! It's just no use!"
This has recently become Inez's all-purpose excuse of choice. Eat dinner? No. It's no use. Go to the bathroom? Can't. It's no use. Go to sleep? Sorry. It's just no use.
Tonight, in an effort to prod Inez into a world where she doesn't leave every room in a state of unnatural disaster, I asked her to gather up the Uno cards littering her bedroom floor. With a sigh, she propped her hands on her hips (like she does when she's about to explain the world's most obvious fact) and said, "Dad. It's. No. Use."
I wonder if she's not exaggerating. I wonder if, in her head, those 50 cards on the floor might has well have been 500,000. What to me was a 30-second taskette (why isn't that already a word?), could have seemed—probably did seem—like an impossible task to her.
"Gather up an incalculable number of cards? Sure, Dad. Why not? Why don't we part the Red Sea while we're at it?"
We adults pull the same trick though. Lose weight? It's no use. Save money? No use. Study the scriptures? Tonight? Sorry. It's just no use.
It's too bad we can't see our pile of cards the way we see our kids' pile of cards.
posted by David Lesue at
11:44 PM
15 Comments:
are you submitting this for the next month's Ensign? Very insightful. Someone could use this analogy during conference.
i'm going to think through my to-do list as either tasks or taskettes! that will help me prioritize nicely (or at least get one thing done).
and i'm sorry you have to clean up your uno cards, "mez." when you finish, could you come and teach luke how to pick his things up too?
Hilarious. I can relate on every count. Anders is so TIIIIIIRED! How can I possibly require him to do such things?
Her new excuse for not eating is that she's "too full." I'm onto that one though. She will eat until she pukes!
(Just kidding for anyone who thinks I'm serious)
Oh, another one that's just as common to our ears as "It's no use" is "IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!!!"
My response is usually something like, "I'm sorry that you don't think it's fair, but that's what we are having for dinner. And if you don't like it then you can go to your room for the rest of the night."
I know, I know. Mother-of-the-year award coming my way.
The food thing is the one that gets to me the most. It's so insulting! I tell Anders to go to his room if he's going to complain about dinner too, so we can share the award!
Has Inez pulled the It's not fair... You love Gwen more than you love me? That is Kaylie's latest trick if I ask her to do something and she won't do it she gets put in time out and then she tells me that it's not fair because I love Ashley more than her because I don't make Ashley clean up anything. HELLO! Do they make Midol for 2 year olds?
"it's
s no use", THAT is so dang cute! where did she come up with that? that is classic for a wee little one. i will use that, and the taskette word. i love reading all you lesues. so great!
Ah Ha! The wonderful world of intellectual independence. Holly...my absolutely FAVORITE response to "It's not fair" is one my mother used to use on me ALL the time...."I know dear, but LIFE'S not fair."
I think you are right, Dave in some respects with the AMOUNT of work that may look small to us yet insurmountable to a child. Which is why when I THINK they are trying to get away without doing work I will break it down...pretty much negates that whole perspective. HAHA!
It just gets more and more fun as they get older! HEEEE!!!
She is toooo cute! I like your analogy...so true. Let's play soon!
that is the cutest thing i've ever heard! cate needs to hang with her.
I remember her saying that when we were eating hot dogs a couple weeks back. She was very convincing...she had me thinking that maybe, just maybe eating MY hot dog was of no use. But then I quickly came to my senses and proceeded to eat another one.
That is so true! I love that you thought of it that way, instead of like most mom's and dad's...
Anyhow, very clever, it will definitely help me see things a little differently!
I hear "it's not fair" all the time. "it's no use" is a new one. Great analogy. Sometimes I do expect my kids to roll with things that can make me uncomfortable as an adult. I'll say "Just go up and talk to that new kid you don't know and make friends" when I have a tendency to get shy and nervous in those similar situations!
I guess it really is no use. ; )
I loved this analogy Dave!
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