Parenting made easy

My daughter created a beach scene in the living room. Beach chairs, shovels, buckets, books and theoretical lake. I was sitting in a chair, reading her a book, when she stopped me midsentence and said, “It’s getting late, Dad. I’m tired. I think it’s time for me to go to bed.”

I said nothing. I expected her to wait a beat and then say, “Ha! Just fooling you, Daddy! I never want to go to bed!”

But she didn’t. In less than ten seconds, she was on her way up the stairs, anxious to get in bed.

No one told me something like this would someday happen. I still can’t believe it.