Because I Said So!

I've become my mother.

Olivia asked me to fix her some lunch. She told me what she wanted. I fixed it for her. She ate one bite and then asked for something else. I fixed it for her. She ate one bite and asked for something else. At which point, I told her that I wasn't going to keep making food for her only to take one bite and request something else.

She proceeded to cajole and beg and lament for something else to eat. I then told her that she better just go eat what she had originally requested because there are a lot of starving children all over this world who don't have anything to eat and we can't waste the food.

When she asked me why there were starving children all over the world, I launched into this long explanation about all the atrocities that occur on our planet which directly or indirectly cause children to starve. (All explained on a four-year-old level, of course.) After which, Olivia kept repeating, "But why, Mom?...why does that happen?...why?"

Finally, I became so exasperated that I said, "Because I said so, that's why!"

Sheesh! I told myself that I would never 'become my mother'...I think it's destiny.

I give up. I think I'll go order this mug...