Conditional answers don’t work with kids. If I attempt to give them an answer such as: “We can go outside and play if it doesn’t start to rain”. They just want to go outside now!
I wish more adults were like this. I can act on a yes or no. I know where I stand and what I need to do. I can move on or get back to work. It removes the gray areas.
This is one trait I like about my current boss. I don’t get a long-winded story that ends in ambiguity. I never leave his office wondering what the answer was. I know straight up whether I got a yes or no. Even when the answer is no, at least I know to move on and find another solution. It’s oftentimes hard to say no, but it’s the right thing to say when it’s the honest answer.