... because at this point it’s easiest.

Jorge, excellent points; this isn’t a recent problem. Somewhat in my defense, though, it seems to me that it’s only fairly recently that children were given much consideration, so that issues like this simply would never have arisen before. If we see “magic trees” and the like popping up on restaurant menus, we’ll know where they came from. Will adult-sized choo-choo spoons be far behind?

Brian and Pint, I didn’t mean to imply that a specific path was a given; much would depend on the parent’s and child’s personalities, and their interactions. But it seems to me that impressionable children do listen to and trust their parents, and too many parents abuse that trust—and that opens up the ability to uncritically accept pretty much any idea that appears to have a micron of plausibility.

Kirsten, thanks for the amusing story. If I could predict how a child would respond with any degree of accuracy, I could be set for life—they seem to be designed to drive their parents bonkers.

Integrity is a powerful thing, even for a child; even the really wild ones can tell when they’re in the presence of an adult who’s “different”. Thus, your comments, Presto and M.L., aren’t surprising to me; and I do think that honesty is likely a big part of why you care for your mother so much, Presto. For me, my mother did redeem herself somewhat when I was older ... but there remained a niggling “What if ...?” that I couldn’t ignore. I hope my children never carry a question like that with respect to me in their minds.