Here’s a fun exchange I overheard the other day. C (our five year old) was pestering N (the soon-to-be-four year old), and had been pestering him all morning. After repeated warnings, their momma finally intervened and sent the five year old to time out.

As she walked back from the time out spot, N called out to her from his bedroom. “Hey momma! Momma!”

She hurried in to his room. “What?”

“Listen! Listen!”

She listened. “What is it?”

“The quiet! Do you hear the quiet?”