Why You Shouldn’t Play Truth or Dare with Your 7-Year-Old
I’m not sure why I thought it would be a good idea to play a long when my daughter asked me to play truth or dare. A more appropriate response probably would have been to ask her where she heard of the game.
“If someone says truth you have to respond with the truth to the question they ask and you can’t tell a lie.”
She asked me my favorite color. Really ready with the heavy punches.
I was ready had some tough questions myself.
“Who do you like more, mommy or daddy?”
Yes, I know you don’t do this to your kids. That it’s a lose-lose situation and all that. But well, yea I did that.
“Hmmm” she pondered for a few moments. I figured she was thinking of a nice way to say that daddy is cool and all, but mommy rocks.
“Daddy. Because he builds me forts,” she finally responded.
“What?” I asked incredulously.
“Daddy builds you forts, so you like him more? Even though mommy takes you to cheer lessons and practices with you, and reads you Percy Jackson every night, and lets you sneak in the bed and cuddle with me… And takes you to Disneyland?!!”
“Well daddy took me to Disney too…”
“Yea well, I took you to Disneyland for your birthday!”
I 100% knew this was an inappropriate conversation, and I should really let it go. But I was already in knee deep, so what the heck.
I turned to my son and asked him “who do you like more? Mommy or daddy?”
“Mommy!” He said without a moment’s hesitation. Maybe it’s true or maybe he’s just wise enough to know in impossible situations you go with the person standing in front of you. It didn’t matter. I took it. I picked him up and called him my mamas boy.
Then looked over at my daughter and it hit me. In my little girl’s eyes daddy can do no wrong. He’s immortal. He’s silly and fun. Mommy on the other hand… is only human. We have a daddy’s girl through and through.
A whole week has gone by since out little game and I still can’t let it go. I told my husband about our conversation and I’m pretty sure he was trying to hide a smirk (or try not to roll his eyes, I was too busy moping to pay close attention).
But in the end, I’ve learned something. First of all don’t ask questions you don’t really want to know the answer to. Secondly, I thought my son would be the death of me but my daughter is going to give me a run for my money.
Lastly, if you must, choose dare.
Tags: daddy, daddy's girl
If it makes you feel any better, I am convinced my husband would win out any day. I have boys, but still. My reasoning, though, is that he’s not the taskmaster. I mean, we both discipline and try to keep the boys on track, but ultimately I’m the one who remembers every tiny detail of our life and schedule, and makes them stick to it. I’m more likely to be the one to remind about homework or that it’s bath night. I’m the one calling everyone to dinner and interrupting whatever they’re doing, and I’m also the one stuck in the kitchen after doing dishes (or convincing one to finish his food!), while the rest of them get some quality time watching a movie or playing. I’m usually the one that first notices it’s bedtime or pushes harder when our morning schedule is tight. Ultimately, no matter how many awesome things either of us do, statistically more of the things I say to them are the “not fun” things, so I’m pretty sure that just automatically knocks me down a notch. It’s not that my husband doesn’t try–I’m just convinced women are so much better programmed to track all of those details and jump on them first. And, of course, you have the added role of teacher, so that may cloud her judgment a bit, too, subconsciously. Don’t take it personally…if you ask another day you’ll probably get different answers from both!
I know I shouldn’t take it too seriously but I couldn’t help my knee-jerk reaction of like “REALLY?!” You are so right though. I’m also the one who’s keeping everyone on task, making sure things get done. I thought my husband was the more strict one but when I take a step back I realize that I am right now. And you’re so right, I’ll probably get different answers from my kids on different days depending on our moods. haha
Great article …
Both my kids were so firmly pro-mama to the point of being anti-daddy, that now as they get older, I don’t mind a bit that they sometimes say they love Daddy better. I just respond that I’m so happy that they love Daddy. They’ve actually just told me that they love Daddy better when they were cross with me, and my response did rather stop cold the emotional response they were expecting. Actually, come to think of it, since I’ve said that, neither one has told me that they love Daddy better. And now they are generally say they love us the same.