Observation 5

I went to Chili’s the other night and I found myself sitting next to an aggressive family.  Not physically aggressive, but more of a stern and direct family.  The mother was asking one of the children if he had taken a bite of his sister’s food while they were both in the bathroom.  He smiled and looked down which instantly caught my attention. I remember having done this myself as a kid and I knew the mother already knew the truth.  He avoided any eye contact and insisted he hadn’t eaten the girl’s food.  The mother responded by saying, “Well then who ate it?”  The boy shrugged his shoulders in a way that indicated he was not fully committed to what he was saying.

The boy was trying to be deceitful but the mother was not fooled.  I could tell she found the situation funny because the girl was making a big deal that there was a bite missing from her food, and the boy trying to lie about eating it.  The mother was trying to hide her smile and laughter.  Eventually the mother told the boy that he needed to be honest otherwise he would not be getting dessert.  Of course this could convince any young child.  He told the truth and the mother thanked him for being truthful.