We don't have to be fair, we're the parents

Ian got home late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning and was exhausted, so I let him sleep while I took the kids to school I don't think he stirred until almost noon, and he spent the rest of the day stubbornly refusing to get dressed; if he put clothes on, he might have to do something productive, and productivity was not on his schedule.

Fine; I didn't mind and didn't have anything for him to do, though I did ask him to wear a shirt to the dinner table, but it was off fifteen minutes later.

At eight o'clock he was standing in the kitchen, reaching into a high cabinet for Rachel, when Alex wandered in wearing nothing but boxer shorts.

We've never really had a rule about being fully clothed outside of bedrooms; as long as the goods are covered, we've never said anything and it's never bothered any of the kids until now; Rachel sighed hard and asked dramatically, "Can't any of you guys put pants on? Do you have to walk around in your underwear?"

Ian annoyed her even further when he looked down at his baggy shorts and grumbled, "I'm not wearing any underwear."

In the middle of her over-acted sigh of despair Kevin headed into the kitchen, just in time to hear her say, "If I see one more boy in his underwear, I think I'll scream."

She turned around, and Kevin dropped his pants. She didn't scream, but instead stomped off, leaving a trail of complaints about the male gender behind her.

I have to be honest, I had to work very hard at not laughing at Kevin's quick thinking, but there's a new rule now: no one walks around the house pantless anymore.

The boys didn't mind, but I'm willing to bet Rachel has a few choice words the next time she walks from the bathroom to her bedroom wrapped in a towel and Ian or I tell her start dressing in the bathroom.

That will just be unfair.