Muffins with Mom – The Guinness World Record of excuses given by a teen

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The muffin flavor of the week is a Gingerbread muffin. Grab your favorite muffin as you settle down for this story.

After reading a friends blog about her Guinness World Record of excuses for not working out, I was reminded of my kids and their excuses. When you ask your child to do something does he give you excuses? If not, then you’re lucky. I think my kids have enough excuses to compete for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Just when you think you’ve heard it all, spilling out of the mouths of babes is another excuse. As life would have it, my poor teen children have to do chores. On many occasions they do not feel like completing their tasks. Below is a list of their excuses.

1.      It’s not my turn to do it

2.      I did it last time

3.      My knee hurts, I can’t walk

4.      I’m on break

5.      I just got home from school, I need to relax first

6.      I need a break

7.      I’m too tired

8.      When asked to take out the trash or check the mail – “why do I have to do all the outside jobs?”

9.      Can I do it later?

10.  Can I finish playing my (video) game first?

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So what do you do when your kids give you an avalanche of excuses? Shovel your own set of excuses right back at them. Here’s a way to respond to the excuses above (re-read the excuse above, and then read the corresponding response below).

1.      Mine either

2.      Me too

3.      My back hurts and my side and my legs, but I’m still moving

4.      Me too, that’s why you have to do it

5.      I just got home from work and I’m relaxing first

6.      You have to work first

7.      I’m more tired

8.      “Why do I have to do all the inside jobs?

9.      Can I feed you later?

10.  Can I add more things to your list of chores?

 

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What would you add to the Guinness World Book of excuses given by a child or teen?

 



 

Muffins with mom - The night the dishes took over

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Warm up your day with a homemade cranberry muffin, then prop your feet up, relax your shoulders and read on.

Do you remember that famous line from The Wizard of Oz—“Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!?” Here’s a line you can sing as you walk through my kitchen—“Pot and pans and bowls, oh my!” It all began when I told my son to put away the clean dishes.

Pots and pans gone wild (kinda).

My son shuffled into the kitchen with the speed of someone just sentenced to death row. I tried to tune out his protests of “Why do I have to do it? I put away the dishes last time.” I left him to finish his sentence  task in solitude.

When I returned to the kitchen to prepare dinner, I found items in disarray. You would have thought my son had just moved in with our family, nothing was where it should be. As I opened one cabinet, plastic bowls flew from the shelf.

I could feel the pots and pans screaming from their place in the cabinet. When I opened the cabinet, there were large pots stacked on top of smaller ones and lids scattered. Nothing neatly assembled as it usually fits.

As I pulled out the items I needed for dinner, I reassembled a few things. It was like working a Rubik’s Cube as I restacked pans, twisted pot handles and turned lids around.

My son later told me that his friend helped put away the dishes. His friend had heard me say that the chores had to be done before, he could have an overnight guest. I guess that’s the color of friendship. But, I wonder if the friend would have willingly put away dishes at his house? Hmmm.

Have dishes ever taken over your kitchen, clean, dirty, or otherwise?