Nailed it again Gerard. Thanks for the images.
Posted by Steel Turman at December 17, 2004 1:38 PMIntermittent (and/or random) reinforcement. This conditioning process creates damn near un-extinguishable behaviour.
Posted by Leslie at December 18, 2004 2:16 AM-- We are teaching them that their parents are the world's most accessible slot machines. --
And they don't even have to put a quarter in!
It's not only the child being gratified.
Posted by RunningRoach at May 18, 2006 9:05 AMIf you enjoy telling your kids "no", then pretty quickly they drop any whining. My four kids 14 thru 18 ask for very little because they know from experience they will not be indulged.
Posted by Christian at May 18, 2006 5:29 PMI prefer to tell myself that I'm teaching them balance between Justice and Mercy.
...
...
It was much more convincing before I wrote it down.
Posted by a4g at May 19, 2006 12:21 PMSince this a re-post, note that in comparison, today is the future:
“I’m going to be an adult in the future,” Gnat said from the back seat, apropos of nothing, “because I was born in the past.”
“I’m in the future now,” I said.
“What?”
“When I was a kid, today was my future.”
She thought about that for a while, then smiled, and honest to God, she laughed and said:
“You thought you were going to have flying cars!”
I almost drove off the road.
“What?”
“Oh nothing. That’s just a thing in the future on shows, cars in the skies. But it’s really not real.”
True, but you can get close. I rolled down the windows and punched the button on the steering wheel to change to the techno station. YEAH! she said from the back. The light turned green; I punched it. Daughter and dad on a spring afternoon, laughing and bobbing our heads to the music, wind in our hair. Flying."
That's good Lileks, eh?
Posted by Reese at May 24, 2006 9:52 PM