Not fair!

That is a phrase that you hear quite frequently at my home. Am I really so unfair to the kids, or are they just too petty? I would like to think the latter.

The kids love comparing and complaining about most things. Guess that's how spoilt they are. If I give one more fruits than the other, (usually because he had less vegetables at dinner - ie to compensate for the fiber) - Not fair! why do I have to eat more fruits than her? I want to have less. My response : You should be glad you have fruits to eat!!

But if it is durians or peaches(or some other fruits they like) - Not fair, why does he get more than me??!! Hey, if you want more, just let me know, I will get you more.

Why does Jie Jie have more time on the computer than me? Because she has some school projects that need computer work!! But you did not see her checking her email when she was supposed to be doing her project! Hello! She was retrieving a document from her classmate to work on, dearie!

Why does N get to go to bed so late (9pm)? When I was his age, I had to go to bed at 8pm!! Sweetie, Papi wants to train him to go to bed later, so that when he has to go to the army, he will be used to the long hours.

How come Jie Jie can go to her friends house this weekend to play and I can't? Because she is much older and can take care of herself.

Why does little D get to play with her toys while eating dinner and I can't? She is still very young, dearie. She needs the toys to keep her from leaving the dinner table. You need to learn good table manners.

How come little D is getting a new bed? I want one too! She has outgrown her crib, and needs a bed now. Yours is still quite new (<3 years). But I like her new bed better! Can she take my old bed? No, that would not be fair to mei mei! (See,even I use the phrase too!)

And the comparisons go on and on. I always tell them to count their blessings that they have certain things and not why others have more.(Like that verse that goes: I complained I had no shoes until I saw a man with no feet....). I even told them, that I only first went on vacation to Japan when I was 20 years old, and they have all been there even before they turned 7, so why compare and complain.

Life is such. Like it or not, you can't have everything. Anything you have, there will always be someone with more. Accept it. Live with it. You are going to face more of it in Life.

Maybe if I stop answering them, they will stop comparing and complaining. Huh? What do you think?