Have you ever gone to great lengths to explain something to someone, only to have them get a completely different message than what you intended? This morning I was trying to explain to my daughter what teasing meant. She'd been waving a Poptart around, giggling when the dogs tried to snatch it and couldn't get it. So, we're driving down the road and the conversation goes thusly:

Me: "Teasing is very mean. Do you know what teasing is?" Her: "No." Me: "Pretend I have a chocolate bar, and I'm dangling it in front of you saying, 'Nyah, nyah, I've got a chocolate bar and you can't have it.'" Her: "But I want it." Me: "I know, but you can't have it. Doesn't that seem mean to you?" Her: "Yes." Me: "Do you think the dogs thought it was mean when you were teasing them with the Poptart?" Her: "Yes." Me: "So what have you learned about teasing?" Her: "If you want to get a chocolate bar, don't tease the dogs."

So much for the teachable moment.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

Answers

I'm certain there are some "boss" related stories in this topic, I just can't think of them now.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

Only every other conversation I have with my husband goes this way. It's not me, it's him. His family tells me so, so it must be him.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000