Kids Make The Best Negotiators.

Tenacity is the main ingredient.

• They never take NO for an answer. Never!
• They remember every word you utter, especially if it can be used in their favour.
• Common sense and reason are not of importance to them, and they blithely negotiate over your attempt.
• They get stuck in the groove and keep at it, over and over again, knowing that you get tired first.
• They add a liberal dose of tears when they sense a granite wall of parental opposition and thus melt it away.
• All of a sudden, they pull a rabbit out from their sleeves and throw back a string of words you mentioned a while ago, and thus get their way.
• They promise to do all the chores you hate doing...cleaning their room for ever on, never ever eating sweets again after this one last time and of course once you give them what they want, they will never argue with you again.
• They divide and conquer with amazing ingenuity...they can use pleading, crying, looking cute as buttons and door slamming all in one argument.
• They get to make new rules over existing rules and can amend those rules at any time, leaving the adult bewildered to what rule was in place when it all started.
• They do their homework and know when the opposition is weak and tired...at the Supermarket checkout, while visiting friends, late at night and of course in front of their most fervent supporters - Grandparents.
• They know when to retreat for a break and with a new unlimited energy, start their negotiation again the next morning while at the same time not forgetting a thing or rather negation weary phrase you mumbled...

Biggi