It has come to my attention that a teacher at my kids' school refuses to allow the kids to say "No" in her classroom.
How do I know this? Tonight's dinner is an excellent example.
Me: Would you like some more mashed potatoes?
Kid1: Probably not.
Me: What? Yes or no. More potatoes?
Kid1: Not really.
Me: The only two possible answers here are "Yes, please," or "No, thank you." You know that. More potatoes?
Kid1: I ... well ... I don't...ummmm. No. No more potatoes.
Me: "... please..."
Kid1: No more potatoes, please.
Me: Why was that so hard?
Other Kid: Kid1's teacher doesn't allow "no" in the classroom. I think it's to cut down the negativity in the class.
Me: "......(mentally) whuck? ..." Um. I'm sorry about saying this, but no. NO. You need to have the courage to stand up for your answer, be it yes or no. And if a teacher or anyone else can not cope with hearing a "no" answer, they shouldn't ask yes/no questions. That's the risk you must accept when you ask a person a yes/no question. The person might actually say "no."
Other Kid: May I have some more potatoes?
Me: No.
2 comments:
When we were little my mother forbid us to say "why?" So naturally we used all the other words available to get the answer we were after. In hindsight I'm sure it was to stop us from driving her completely crazy, or perhaps she wanted us to figure things out for ourselves, but I suspect we eventually accomplished our goal (after fifty years of diligence). She's a little crazy.
That's the most ridiculous rule I've ever heard of. And that's coming from a woman who has a rule about which order the remotes are placed in.
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