Ever argue a logical idea with a child?

Many times, they just don’t get it, and quickly see life as unfair.

Maybe you say: “Clean your room.”

And you get: “But I don’t want to.”

You make it a teachable moment by saying: “Sweetheart, sometimes, in life we have to do things that we don’t want to do. Sometimes mommy and daddy go to work when we don’t want to. But we go anyway, because it provides for our family, and it is the right thing to do.”

You can see the wheels turning in their mind. You think there might be a realization coming.

And then they respond: “But I don’t want to.”

They just don’t quite understand yet, do they?

But you do.

Later you even reflect what a blessing it is to be able to go to work. There is dignity and honor in hard work. That working to provide for your children, even when you don’t always want to, is what parents are supposed to do.

But sometimes, a toddler just can’t get past the not wanting to.

“My friend who owns the coffee shops told us, in a tone of kindness and truth, that nobody he knows who is successful gambles; rather, they work hard, they accept the facts of reality, they enjoy life as it is. “But the facts of reality stink,” I told him. “Reality is like a fine wine,” he said to me. “It will not appeal to children.” And I am grateful my friend stung me in that way, because this truth helped me understand and appreciate life itself, as it is, without the false hope formulas offer. I didn’t read formula books after that because reality is like fine wine. I am quite snobby about it, if you want to know the truth.”

–Donald Miller, Searching For God Knows What