Kenneth Berger
Do What You Said You'd Do
Inspired by Kenneth Berger episode
Kenneth Berger on integrity: Executives who don't follow through lose credibility. So do parents who threaten timeouts they never enforce.
Kenneth Berger calls it "doing what you said you'd do." Revolutionary concept in product management, apparently.
In parenting, it's the difference between being a functional human and being the person your kid screams "YOU'RE A LIAR" at in the cereal aisle.
You said we'd go to the park after lunch. That was six hours ago. Your kid remembers. They have the memory of an elephant and the forgiveness of the IRS. Every broken promise goes into their mental ledger. The trust battery doesn't have a warning light—it just dies mid-Tuesday when you suggest vegetables.
You promised pizza Friday. It's Friday. You're tired. You're thinking maybe chicken nuggets would be easier. But you see their face. That hopeful, trusting face. You're ordering pizza. Not because you're a good parent. Because you've learned that reliability is the only currency that matters when you're negotiating with tiny tyrants who control your sanity.
