What happens if a child asks you for something? What if your spouse has already said no and you have responded affirmatively? Is there a way to manage your child´s desire to play one parent against the other? Read on.
“Dad, can the Degu´s come and live with us this summer?” my daughter asked with hope sparking like Cubic Zirconia in her eyes.

I was startled at her request. I mean, we´ve had guests, but a family – for the whole summer? “Who are the Degu´s?” I asked innocently.

“Well, they´re three sisters and they will bring their own food,” she replied.

“Are they your friends?” I ask.

“Sorta.”

OK, now I was really confused so I asked a question learned from the game Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral – “Are these Degus human.”

“No, Dad,” my daughter said rolling her eyes, “they are our class pets and no one else can take them.”

“What exactly is a Degu?”

“It´s a relative of the Chinchilla and looks a little like a squirrel – only smaller.”

“Who exactly would be taking care of them?”

“I will. I was class zoologist this year, so I know what I´m doing.”

“What about when we go on vacation?”

“We can take them back to my teacher´s house and she´ll take care of them until we get back.”

“You´ve really thought this trough.”

“So can we? Pleeeeeeeease!”

Being a rather astute father and husband I considered her words and said, “Ummmm, what does your mom think?”

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