Two legal lessons from a toddler
February 24, 2009Both from today.
First, how not to conduct a negotiation. Back when we were struggling with potty training, we’d established that Besh could have an M&M if he did a #2. Sometimes multiple M&Ms depending on…um…the M&Mness of it all. But he’s been using the toilet so regularly now that he rarely asks.
Tonight, however, he used the toilet and then looked up at me.
Besh: “I made poo poo in the potty! I can have one M&M?”
Me: “That was a super good job! You can have TWO M&Ms?”
“I can have five M&Ms? And four M&Ms? And one M&M and two M&Ms and three M&Ms and forty-eight M&Ms and ten M&Ms?”
“You can have two M&Ms.”
“Oh, okay. You put them in my hand?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Two M&Ms.”
Lesson learned: never negotiate against yourself.
Next up, depositions. While down in the kitchen I asked Besh if he wanted a snack.
Besh: “Oh yes, I want snake chips?”
Me: “What are you talking about?”
“Snake chips.”
“And what are snake chips?”
“Food. You eat them.”
Lesson learned: when deposing an adversary or a toddler, if you want better answers, ask better questions.
[...] the possibility of pre-paying Besh’s law school tuition and have had some other hints that he may be following in his parents’ footsteps. But I’m happy to report that this past weekend he insisted on pretending to be his [...]