If you give a parent a paintbrush...

They'll* run to the store to grab just the shade of grey you wanted. To be safe—they'll grab two cans! 

Nonrefundable, of course (because once you tint it, it's yours).

Then they'll* decide they need some white paint to redo the trim. They'll* quickly grab a can and then rush home. 

When they've finished painting the room grey, they'll** realize they have 1.25 cans leftover. That will start them*** thinking about what else they could possibly paint that same colour. 

But they** still have the trim to paint, so they'll** break out the white paint and get to work. 

When they're** finished painting, the parent* (who went to the store to get the paint but didn't help do any of the painting because they had to finish grading so they could submit grades by the deadline) will ask if the painting parent** can simply repaint the banister as well...since the paint is out. 

So they'll** paint the banister. And then they'll** rinse out their paintbrush.

When they've** finished rinsing out their paintbrush, the other parent* will say, "Oh, no! I grabbed matte paint instead of glossy paint! This banister feels like a chalkboard!"

So the next day they* will run to the store to grab glossy paint (which is in the same style of can as the matte paint for some reason), but since they* turned in their grades already they* would have no excuse to stop them from helping to paint. 

They'll*** consider that extra can of grey paint and decide the other bedroom could use a fresh coat of paint. 

So they'll*** go through all the stuff in the room and push all the furniture to the centre of the room and—together this time—they'll*** paint the other bedroom. 

And the banister. 

They're*** pretty exhausted now so they're going to go to bed, but in the morning they'll*** still need to repaint the trim in the bedroom so they'll*** break out that glossy paint again.

And chances are, if they break out the glossy paint...they're going to need a paintbrush to go with it.

* Andrew
** me
*** us