Monday Moment #46: a writing prompt for your work-in-progress

(If you’ve already read this then skip past all the italicized blah-di-blah and start writing.) Monday Moments are writing prompts for your work-in-progress. They are questions that come from my experiences and are my favorite way to find out more about my characters. I find I learn a lot. Some of it I use. Some of it I don’t. But I always, always get to know my character(s) better just by answering the question. I hope you do too. )

"That's not fair!"

Really, can anything ever really be fair?

But if I had a quarter for each time that phrase is utter in my house, I'd be loaded. Oh, yeah! That's right. We now have a fine jar and a quarter must go in each time it's said (even by the grown ups). Too bad it works so darn good or I would be rolling in the coinage. Instead, they figure out other ways to complain about it.

With two daughters, only a couple years apart, it's amazing how much is compared. All. The. Time. Really, everything's compared: the soda level in their cups, the size of the rice krispy treat, even the size (or parts) of an english muffin. I mean, really! The other day, my youngest swore I gave her big sister the two fat halves (you know how there's always a skinny side and a fat side) of the muffin. oy

Do you sense a food theme here? However, it's not just about food. My youngest was upset the other day because her older sister gets to earn points to get a "prize" at the orthodontist. IT'S NOT FAIR! Right? Because the youngest doesn't go to the orthodontist, at least not yet. sheesh

There's this constant comparison and measuring and jealousy. But really, I think this happens at all ages, in different ways (even for us grown-ups), we all just handle it differently.

How about for you character? What do they think "isn't fair" and how do they react to it?