KELLY BROWN: Negotiating on all the big issues

During the morning, as I was laying out the breakfast table, I listened as they discussed a hot topic which has caused many an argument...... who would be sitting on their favourite side of the table.

Now the origin of this long-running argument between them steams from the fact that my table is at one end of my living room, and one side has a slightly better view of the television.

So on the occasions when I let them sit at the table, eat a snack and watch the television they both want the optimum position.

But of course it has spiralled out of control to the point that even when the television is not on they still both argue about who sits on that side of the table.

I have had tears and tantrums from both about it, and of course it ruins the day of whichever child is ‘forced’ to sit on the other side.

This particular morning was another such discussion which threatened to get out of hand even though the TV was not even on, and was not going to be !

My son had raced down the stairs to bag the chair before his sister.... cue tears... but he had an ace up his sleeve.

And that was to offer a compromise involving another issue which is also the source of arguments.... which side of my bed each of them would sit on.

Now I have absolutely no idea why one side is apparently better than the other, but for some reason them both like to snuggle up with me on the same side of the bed in the morning.

So whichever child wakes up first is the winner of that particular argument.

And in the mornings they also both like to sit on my bed and get dressed there, again sparking another discussion/argument between them!

But on this particular morning my little man offered up the solution to his sister that he sit on that side of the table and she can sit on the favoured side of the bed for the rest of the week.

How about the rest of the month? she asked. Well only is he can sit on that side of the table all week.... and so the agreement was struck, well for now at least.

Because I’m sure in a few days time one of them will be broken their agreement and fresh peace talks can begin again.