My "Nonsense Meter"

I don't know what else to call it, but I've noticed recently that my "nonsense meter" has been a little off.  (I'm not confusing this with one's typical B.S. meter, because I think that part of my brain is working perfectly well.)

An example:  Last night BJ and I took turns doing some reading activities with each kid.  (I've been taking a parent class at Toby's school on linking parent involvement with emerging readers, and I had just gotten a bag full of easy reading books, magnetic letters and stuff for literacy activities at home.)  He and Toby would read a story together in the living room while Norah and I would play with the magnetic letters in the kitchen.  Then we'd switch.  This was a win-win activity on many levels: no one was fighting over materials or parental attention, they were both interested in the activities, and we were slowing them down for bed time.  No nonsense there.
However, this little comment BJ made slipped by my nonsense meter as we were getting the kids ready for bed a little later in the evening: (Handing me the bag of new books)  "Let's hide these somewhere."

Hours later (when transferring the bag of books from their "hiding place" to a more normal location.)...  Why on earth did I think it was completely normal to hide a bag of books???  At the time I know we were just focused on getting kids ready for bed, and this usually entails cutting off tantrums before they start.  I think that one or both of us was guessing that there might be a tantrum about who got to take the new books to bed.  The solution for this possible fight was to hide the books somewhere so no one would argue about them.

The comment and subsequent hiding of books is clearly an indication that there are some missing synapses occurring as a result of energy spent heading off tantrums.  At least I can take comfort in the fact that I'm not the only adult in the house whose nonsense meter isn't running on full power.