Because I said so

When I was growing up, I hated it when my mom didn't have a reason for saying no. Or, as it seemed to me at the time, a silly reason. I remember promising myself (I think I even wrote it down in my journal) that I would always explain my reasons for saying no to my kids. If I wasn't going to let them play with their friends or watch a movie or whatever, I would have a good reason for doing so.

Umm, yeah--not so much.

When asked the question, "why?" I often find myself saying, "Because I said so!" It really is a pretty terrible reason and doesn't do anything to explain to your kid why they can't have a friend over or another cookie. But what I realize now (and failed to realize as a child) is that after telling your child fifteen different times why he or she isn't allowed to do whatever it is, and you're still met with resistance, whining, and quite possibly screaming, the only answer you're left with is, "Because I said so." Other times, my reasons sound lame in my own head ("I'm tired and I don't feel like watching you and your friends right now") and so I just go back to the old standby. Basically what we're saying as moms is, "That's the way it's going to be and there's nothing you can do about it and I'm the mom and you're not and I make the rules, so there." It just sounds nicer to say, "Because I said so."

Sorry that I didn't get that sooner, Mom. I do now.