A few days ago we were cleaning out the car so we could fit some friends in and take them to see "Tale of Desperaux". Kayla is 6, so I figured she should be helping... at least getting all her toys out of the car.
When we get in a hurry, we sometimes use plastic laundry baskets to delay the inevitable. So Kayla wanted to use her collapsible laundry basket. I said we were using a cardboard box for toys, and the laundry basket for clothes (they leave their socks in the car all the time.
Kayla ignored me and used her laundry basket.
When I found out, I told her, "No. The laundry basket is for clothes. This box is for toys. Put the trash in the trash can, the clothes in the laundry basket, and the toys in the box."
She started crying. Inconsolably. The rest of us went on cleaning the car.
She went to Eri and asked, "Mommy, why did you marry a person who was so bossy?"
Now, there have to be a dozen things Eri could've said at that point. She could've gone for the funny: "He's the only one who ran slowly enough," or "He wasn't so bossy when I met him."
Personally, I was hoping for a defense. Something like, "Daddy's not being bossy; he's just trying to make sure all this stuff gets cleaned up."
But, no. What did she say?
Nothing. She let it sit there, unanswered, without contradiction. She hugged Kayla, eventually coming up with, "I'm sorry, Honey."
Great, thanks, Dear. :-D
We had a good laugh about it while Kayla went in to put something away. Eri claimed to be shocked speechless by the question.
Which doesn't explain why she wasn't ready when it happened again. We were all putting away groceries, and Kayla wasn't happy about helping out. She went to Eri, and looking right at me, she asked, "Mommy, why do good people marry bad people?"
Oh, gee, now I've been downgraded. I'm not just bossy, I'm bad.
Once again, Eri had no reply.
And Kayla won't even take the bait when I try to turn it back around on Eri. Mommy is nice, even when she's bossing Kayla around or taking something away. Daddy is mean, even if he just read Kayla a book.
Watch out, fellow dads. They don't stay your little girl forever!