Don't Ask, Do Tell

Please, I beg of you, stop asking your kids what they want.

For instance, if you're, say, oh I don’t know, calling your dad on Father's Day, don't hold the phone up to your child's head and ask, "Do you want to say 'Happy Father's Day' to Grandpa?" A lot of the time, you're going to hear a "No." 

This wasn’t really a question, so don’t ask it. You're setting yourself up for a battle:
“But I don’t want to say it.”
“But you should say it.”
“But I don’t want to.”
“Well, you have to.”
“Nooo…”
“Alright, this is the last time…you have to—oh, sorry, Dad, hold on, he’s just being—stop crying and say ‘Happy Father’s Day’!”

Or 

"Honey, do you want peanut butter and jelly for lunch?"

"No"

Pause. "Well, that's all we have."

See where this is going?

I know all the parenting magazines tell you to "empower your children" and "let them be part of the decision making" and blah blah but, bloody hell, if you already know what answer you want, don't ask the question.