After returning from ToyFair this year, I found myself with a moment alone with my youngest son.

“So,” I asked. “Did you and your brother get along okay while I was gone? No fighting, right?”

“Um.” He hesitated, then glanced at me suspiciously. “Did she already talk to you?”

“No.”

“We, uh. . .” His shoulders slumped. “No. It was pretty bad.”

I chuckled. “Thanks for telling the truth.”

I like how he tried to find out what I knew before answering – and then realized he’d already blown it.