Negotiations...5 year old style...

JR has been relentless in his requests to go to Chuck-E-Cheese's. or as I like to refer to it, Chuck-E-Sleaze's. I can honestly say I hate the place. It's generally jam-packed with people who are mean, rude,whiny, loud & vulgar, and those are the adults. The kids are no better,just add disrespectful & bratty. JR has been there 5 times in his life. Once for a school fundraiser (when Cap nicely agreed to take him), once for a birthday party that sadly I had to take him to, twice when his big brother took him, and once when his sister took him (and again, sadly I had to tag along since his cousin Drew was also going, so I thought I was needed because in my opinion that place requires a one-child/one adult ratio...

Anyway, he has been asking to go daily, prompted by the dumb commercial that airs over and over again during each and ever NICK cartoon. If you don't know which one I'm talking about, then watch the video...it'll come to you really quick...

This is what our daily discoussions sound like:

JR: Mommy, can I ask you a question?
Mommy: You just did.
JR: Mommy, not that question, can I ask you another question?
Mommy: JR, you just did.
JR: MOM-MMEEEEEE. Can we go to Chuck-E-Cheese's
Mommy: Let me think about it. NO.
JR: But why?
Mommy: (and this part varies) It causes brain damage to little kids and their parents.
JR: No. We SHOULD go.
Mommy: No, we shouldn't.
JR: Yes, because didn't you know (singing now) Chuck-E-Cheese's; is where a kid can be a kid.
Mommy: You don't need to go to Chuck-E-Sleazes to be a kid, you can be kid right here, so why don't you pick out a KID game and we'll play together. Any KID game you want, you get to choose ...

JR: under his breath as he walks down the hallway to get a game "and it's Chuck-E-CHEESE'S...

Well this week he was still at it, and his brother LTD asked if he could take him there on his day off. I thought about it, and decided that since it wasn't on the list, and knowing he really, really wants to complete the 20-things list, I explained it to JR. I told him that the summer goes by so quickly, and since Chuck wasn't on it, maybe he and his brother could do something that was.

Of course that evoked a "But I really want to go to Chuck-E-Cheese's", and thus, the negotiations began. We agreed that his brother could take him, but only if he swapped this for something on his list. He thought long and hard about it, even went down the list pointing out each one he hadn't completed yet. Ultimately he agreed to substitute this kiddie horrorland for Sampson's Island. To be honest, Sampson's was going to be a tough one, so I wasn't totally disappointed. Of course, since I wasn't the one who had the "pleasure" of accompanying him, the deal suddenly sounded fantastic.