We have a standing rule in our house that hardly ever gets followed. It’s caled the “6:30 rule” and it is very simple to understand: thou shalt not awaken the parents before 6:30.

We also have a monitor in the kids’ bedroom. We don’t need it anymore, of course, but it’s nice being able to hear them when they start shouting for help.

On Christmas morning, we woke to the sound of them talking.

“Hooray, it’s Christmas! Let’s go.”

“We can’t. It’s only six.”

“But it’s Christmas.”

“It’s only six. No, it’s six-oh-one.”

They talked on and off for the next 19 minutes, discussing Christmas and whether they could get up or not. Then, the clock reached what was apparently a very important time.

“It’s six twenty!”

“So?”

“That’s only ten minutes before six thirty!”

“Yeah!”

“Come on! Let’s go!”

Their door banged open, and we heard their feet run toward our door.

Apparently, they think it takes ten minutes to walk from their room to ours.