Making Life Difficult

In general I appreciate when Brandon steps in and helps out with the kids. This Saturday I needed to work most of the day so he took care of the kids. I came out for a break and I found the living room in shambles, strewn with books and puzzles and game pieces. I noticed there wasn't anyone around and then I walk outside and found this:

Apparently the kids got into the hall closet and dragged the tent out and opened the bag. Wherein the father that pretty much never says no, pitched the tent in the back yard so they all could play. So what's the problem? Dad doesn't say no, but mom does! I've figured it out that they reason I typically say no to something is not that it is a danger or something the kids shouldn't do but that it will typically result in some kind of mess that I will have to clean up.

So when dad says yes, I still usually have to clean up some or all of the resulting mess. In this case I didn't have to but now every day the kids get into the hall closet they will expect me to pitch the tent for them. It's just like every time we go to Walmart, we can't ever leave without a melt down from wanting to play the claw machine games because Brandon always stops and plays. Zoey always thinks she can get out of going to bed if she asks to watch football with Daddy because Brandon let her do it one time. I guess toddlers just don't get the idea of an occasional treat. They do know if they flash their sparkly eyes at daddy enough, they'll get whatever they want. That doesn't work on mom, but it makes her life more difficult.