Teamwork?

This morning, Isaac and I butted heads. I had a brand new pair of shorts picked out for him to wear when he got out of the bathtub. He informed me, before putting them on, that he did not like them.

I do not fight about clothes and food. At least that is my goal. I know those are triggers for kids, and so JB and I decided long ago that they were not fights we would get into.

I was fine if Isaac said he didn't like the shorts after trying them on. But I insisted that he at least put them on and give them a try.

He refused.

I told him to go to his room.

He began screaming and crying. He put the shorts on. I told him that as soon as he was done screaming and crying he could come out.

He kept crying and screaming.

So he stayed in his room.

Meanwhile little brother Sidge was waiting (not so) patiently for his brother to return to the elaborate Superhero set-up they had going in the downstairs playroom. He kept coming upstairs and saying, "Is he done yet, Mom?"

I'd say no.

Sidge would sigh and say, "Man, I really want him to come play."

"Well," I began. "You could go in there and talk to him."

I explained the rules for leaving. "Isaac may not get another pair of shorts from his shorts cabinet downstairs. And he has to exit the room with screaming and great gnashing of teeth silenced."

Sidge nodded and went in.

I wished him luck.

Two minutes later the boys exited the room.

The crying was over. Happiness spread over Isaac's face.

That's when I saw why.

They had switched shorts. Sidge had taken his off and given them to Isaac and Isaac had given the pair he didn't like (which by the way were not very different from the ones Sidge had on) to Sidge.

How can you argue with that kind of teamwork?