A Lawyer in training

It appears that P has inherited her older brother and sister's master arguing skills. Case in point:

Last night at dinner P was "eating" the rest of her chocolate Easter bunny. At first, she was eating it one bite at a time, as would be expected. A few minutes later, I looked over and saw her hands and face covered in chocolate and her bunny a wet, gooey, chocolatey mess. She was no longer biting and eating it, but was now licking all exposed surfaces and scraping chocolate off of the surface like a beaver scraping bark off of a tree. Lately we've had an issue with P playing with her food so when she does, her meal or snack ends and she is excused from the table. Consequently, last night I said, "Oh P, you're playing with your bunny instead of eating it so now you are all done."

Immediately the "lawyering" began. "But Mom I am eating my bunny ...." (In the past, when B and C have used this tactic R always teases them that this type of arguement should always begin with - But your Honor I object.)

I interupted P by saying, "Were you eating your bunny like you are supposed to?"

P replied with "But Mom..."

And before should could say anymore I interupted again with, "P it is a yes or no question. Were you eating your bunny like you are supposed to? Yes? or No?"

No comment from P.

"P, were you eating your bunny like you are supposed to?"

Still no comment from P but you can see the little wheels turning in her head?

Once more I asked, "Were you eating your bunny like you were supposed to?"

And this was P's reply "Yes, and then No."

R and I cracked up. Even when forced to answer yes, or no, our lawyer in training still found a way to avoid the matter of fact yes and no answer....just answer both ways.

To her credit, she was just being completely honest. She wanted to be sure that the record stated that "Yes", first she was eating her bunny the way she was supposed to and then "No", she was not.