Can I have this??? Asked over and over.

[crowcaw]

I have to know if this is a common thing or or something peculiar to my children; the issue is whenever they see something in the house that does not have a clearly defined function or owner, they ask "Can I have it?"  Literally within a second of seeing something like a tube of lib balm or piece of ribbon that they haven't seen before they ask "can I have it?"  This morning I was cleaning out the fish bowl and the plastic ring that it sits on and is therefore not usually visible was separate and sitting next to the sink on the counter.  Both girls (almost 6 yo twins) race to it, lunge for it, and ask "can I have it?"  This is a 6 inch diameter ring of grey plastic.  Anything is desireable; a piece of yarn, a tuft of wool batting, 2 links of a chain, a short piece of quarter round that fell off the window molding,....  Granted they often make something out of it (I have some pretty interesting art/jewelry) and I rationally know it should not be a problem for me if they want to be the house trash collectors (though I'm also getting tired of saying no as they ask for every loose thing that isn't trash and has a purpose) but the constant pouncing on any little scrap is making me grumpy about it.  Typical for a 6 yo?  (By the way, they have mountains of varied craft supplies both common and eclectic, so it's not about lack of resources.) 

[meemee]

typical for any age year old. my almost 9 year old still does it - to an extent to get a laugh out of me.

i guess that's what inspired the movie - are we there yet (cant remember if that was the name of the movie or just a line from it).

[Mummoth]

That would annoy me too! I'd probably keep a mug or bowl on the window sill and put those random things that they can have into it... bread tags, elastic bands or plastic netting bags off of veggies, whatever. Then, if it's not in the bowl, they can assume the answer is no.