Can I Count on You

The other night I was asking the boys to clean up some toys and I said, "Can I count on you to pick up your trains?"

Ben agreed quickly and went into the other room to get started. Kyle said no and just stood there looking at me. I asked him whether he wanted me to put the trains away which would mean they would go in the garage on a shelf for awhile and not be available to play with. He didn't like that idea either. So I asked him again.

"Can I count on you to pick up your trains?"

"Um, ya!" And then he stood there expectantly.

After a couple seconds it dawned on me that he was taking my question very literally. He thought I needed to actually count on him before he picked up his trains.

So I counted to 5 while tapping his head and then he went running off happily to clean up his trains.