Why I Rarely Complained As a Kid

When I was about 8 years old, I told my mother I was having a tough time falling asleep because my bed was too hard.

The next day, I was home right after school, and I walked into my room to see my mother struggling with a huge flat piece of wood as she pulled my mattress off the bed.

"What are you doing?" I asked her.

"I'm putting a board under your mattress!" She answered.

"Why?" I asked.

"To make your bed harder," she said, in a tone of authoritative satisfaction. She finished the job and as she left the room added, "Maybe you'll think twice about complaining next time."

It worked.