Parents are so funny and have this unique ability to con their children into doing something totally normal and acting as though it’s a real treat or reward. As a lot of you are parents, I’m sure you can relate.

One of my parents’ stealthy tactics was bribing us to clean our rooms, empty the dishwasher, etc. and in exchange me and P could have a “sleepover.” A sleepover consisted of me and P sleeping on the pullout couch in the living room and watching a movie.

In our own house.

Where we already lived and slept.

Why did we think that was so spectacular? Couldn’t we have figured out that there was really absolutely no incentive to cleaning our rooms?! How silly. Yet we fell for it every time. Such suckers. Our favorite movies, if I remember, were Home Alone, Fern Gully, and A Little Princess. I’m sure there were more, but that’s what came to mind.

We would stay up late- which looking back was probably only 11- and sneak snacks out of the kitchen, really thinking we were being quiet.

We weren’t.

And when we’re together 15 years later we still have sleepovers when we get to see each other. Only we most definitely don’t empty the dishwasher or clean our rooms beforehand.

That’s for suckers.