Parents really should do the parenting!

People should not try to teach a child if they don't have a clue how that child thinks. This is basic skills 101. A class my mother-in-law obviously audited. She was here for less than 24 hours last week. Yet in that brief period time she managed to wreak havoc in my home. Being the nosey busy body that she is, she took it upon herself to snoop into my neighbors yard. While there she made an amazing discovery....POISON OAK. She then decided she should take each one of MY CHILDREN over to the tree with poison oak. While there she preceding to explain to each child the dangers of the feared three leafed vine. At the end of her speech came these famous last words... DO NOT TOUCH. Now this is good sound advise to give to Grace, Isaac, Zion, and even Aaron. But those simple words ring out like a challenge to manhood for Elijah. As if the child needed a reason to get into mischief. So the conversation goes like this....

Grandmother, "Do not touch"
Elijah, "why?"
Grandmother, "it's dangerous"
Elijah, "why?"
Grandmother, "because I said so"

Two days later......

Elijah, "I don't get poison oak, do I?"
Mom, "Elijah, what have you done?"
Elijah, "I didn't touch it, I don't get poison oak."
Mom, "Did you touch the poison Oak?"
Elijah, "NO! but I have hundreds of Mosquito bites on my face."
Mom, "Elijah, did you touch the poison?"
Elijah, "ONLY ONE LEAF!"