Jedi Mind Trick

My 14-year-old introduced me to the "Jedi Mind Trick" the other night. Apparently, with the swoosh of your hand in front of the face of your victim, you can get them to do whatever you want them to do.

Zach: Mom. Do you want to take us to Culver's after dinner for ice cream?

Me: No.

Zach: Completely straight faced. Swoosh. Yes you do.

Me: What are you doing?

Zach: Jedi Mind Trick.

Me: I look over at his father. What is he doing?

Paul: Jedi Mind Trick.

The rest of my men folk at the dinner table nod their head in agreement. This includes 5-year-old Ethan, who I am pretty sure has no idea what a Jedi is... let alone the concept of a "mind trick."

Me: I am not taking you to Culver's.

Zach: Mom. Swoosh. You are taking us to Culver's and you are so excited about it.

I turn to Paul.

Paul: Swoosh. Yeah.

I turn to Zach. This time, I "Swoosh."

Me: Zach. You are so excited to clean up the kitchen, sort all the socks that have been piled in the laundry basket in my room for the last week, and clean all the pee around the toilet upstairs.

Zach. Uhmm. No. Mom. Jedi Mind Trick only works on the weak-minded.

Right.

A little later in the evening, we are all outside enjoying the warm weather when I catch Ethan on his hands and knees about to pick up a pretty dang big branch off the lawn with his mouth.

Me: ETHAN! DO NOT put that BRANCH in your MOUTH!

Zach: Giving me a smug look. See Mom? Jedi mind trick. It really works.