Three-year old logic

I wish I had a tape recorder for all my conversations with Ethan. Here are a few recent ones: Ethan (trying to figure out how to avoid bedtime): Mom, who's the boss tonight: Mom, Dad, or Ethan? Me (after the slightest pause): Mom and Dad are the boss together. Ethan: Well, when you're done, can I have a turn? A few days later (mad at me for some order or another I'd given): "Mom, I'm taking your boss away...for good." Last night, right before bathtime: Ethan: Do I have to wash my hair tonight? Me: Yes, honey, you do. Ethan: But it didn't touch the ground today! In addition to tackling concepts of authority and personal hygiene, he is trying to figure out how money works. Not so easy to explain in a world where mom just uses plastic to buy everything, including to get money out of the ATM. Today, during a "Dora Saves the Mermaids" commercial break: Ethan: Mom, can I buy that? Me: You don't have any money. Ethan: Well, I can go to the bank and get lots of money. Me: You don't have a bank card. Ethan: You're right, mom, you're right. I'll get a bank card. That's a good idea. I'm giving him about 48 hours to ponder how to get his hands on his own bank card before he brings it up again. I was going to explain how Daddy works to get money, and that's how we buy things, but I couldn't think of a good way to explain why Daddy shares his money with Mommy and not with him. One last story...like many boys his age, Ethan is obsessed with trains. He has been getting quite a few of them lately as incentives for potty training and staying in his bed all night. He sleeps with the Thomas catalog and brings it in to my bed in the morning so we can review it together. First he wanted the street cleaner/garbage truck set. Got it. Then he wanted the Chinese Dragon train. Got it. Both have arrived in the mail and absolutely made his day. For the last 3 weeks he has desperately wanted the recycling train, and thinks it will arrive any day, despite our attempts to explain how this program works. He's even taken it to a higher authority. Every night (for the past 3 weeks), after he finishes praying for all the "Thank yous", he finishes with: "...and we're a little sad the recycling train didn't come today, and we hope it will come tomorrow." If he can keep up such a combination of faith and persistence in his life, he'll be in good shape.