Just try it. If you still don’t want to after that then, we won’t force you. But try it first.”
Eating bitter gourd, roller skating classes, mental mathematics class, Vedic mathematics class, handwriting class, trying to make friends with the kid who tried to punch you the week before, taking showers, brushing your teeth, wearing buttoned shirts and long pants… Parents try to get you to do bogus stuff you know you don’t want to do (and which THEY know you don’t want to do) by using the above line.
Example:
Parent: “Hey! Try this amazing organic bitter gourd curry I made.”
Child: “What? Why would I do that? They’re disgusting!”
Parent: “You know you should be more open to new experiences.”
Child: “I’m open to getting some new video games. How about that?”
Parent (sighing): “Don’t change the subject. Just try it. If you still don’t want to after that then we won’t force you. But try it first.”
If you keep saying no you come across as unreasonable, stubborn and someone who isn’t ready to embark on bitter-gourd related adventures.
So, of course, you say yes. And before you know it, you’re eating bitter gourd while roller skating and trying to find out what the square root of 67 is using techniques invented by some dude who lived a hundred thousand years ago. Plus, once you’ve said “Yes, I will try this so you stop standing there and looking at me with a wounded look”, there is no going back. Because once you’ve tried and said “I was right the first time around, I DO NOT like this”, parents will say “How can you say that after just one go? You need to do it a few times and let it grow on you. You’ll feel differently then.”
Way too slick
Parents are sneaky. They’ve had way too much practice getting people to do things they don’t want to do, because they’re super old and have had a hundred years of practice already.
So, after years of getting suckered in to doing things I don’t want to do, eating things I don’t want to eat and meeting relatives I don’t want to meet (why does EVERYONE want to pull your cheeks or pat your head?) I decided to try this on my parents.
Me: “Can I have some screen time?”
Parent: “Your quota for the day is up buddy.”
Me: “You know. You should be more open minded about my screen time. Less rigid.”
Parent: “I should, should I?”
Me: “Just try giving me a little more time. If you still don’t want to after that then I won’t force you.
But try it first.”
Parent: “Oh my god look! Is that a Great Horned Owl on our balcony?”
Dear Reader, there was no Great Horned Owl on the balcony. Parents clearly have way too many tricks up their sleeve. Don’t try and play them at their own game. You will lose.
