Mama Said, 'Yes'.

I have seen firsthand a child's ability to manipulate. But I never realized how innate it was until three days ago.

I was sitting on the porch with J and a friend and my daughter came out to declare, "Mama, Nayna wan' a-mil tah-ters." (Mama, Layna wants animal crackers... it's always food with this child.)

"No, Honey, you may not have animal crackers. You did not eat your dinner."

She turned around, walked inside without a word, and I heard her say, "Daddy, Nanya wan' a-mil tah-ters. Mama said, 'yes'."

My jaw dropped, mouth agape, as I looked at my friend to non-verbally communicate, "DID YOU HEAR WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" Her expression matched my own, though slightly more tainted with a smile. (It's unfair how others, removed from the implications of a situation, can find something humorous, while I'm left to wonder how my child knew to tell a bold face lie to get her way.)

I saw my husband through the window, sure enough, getting up to get animal crackers. Naturally, I had to intercept said animal crackers, and break the news to my husband that our daughter just played us. She is not even two and half, so... draw your own conclusion about our fears for the future. At this point, she just needs to learn to wait until she's out of earshot of the first parent she asked.

Like everything else that is not exemplary behavior, we determined she must have learned it from other kids at preschool.