This is the question my almost-four-year-old middle child posed to me, extremely seriously, on Saturday afternoon. And for the life of me, I just don’t know. Furthermore, when I laughed and asked her to tell me the answer, expecting some witty punchline, she informed me, rather haughtily, that I “was the silly one now,” whatever that meant.

And that just about sums up the conversations I’ve had with my kids over the last week.

Sunday:

L (7) wanders into my office with her Eye Witness book about wildlife.

L: Mummy, can I read you an interesting fact?

Me: Yes, but quickly please, I’m in the middle of something. [something being proof-reading my novel, absolutely not twatting about on Reddit or Twitter… ahem]

L: *spouts something about tigers or giraffes being able to do something impressively disgusting with their tongues*

Me: Wow, that’s… er… cool [or something equally vague yet encouraging with the hopeful air of dismissal about it] *looks back at manuscript, mutters to self* Hmm… does [character 1] actually kill [character 2] or did I just vaguely imply that without going into any explanation whatsoever?

L: Who gets killed?

Me: Oh, no one. It’s just in Mummy’s book.

L: Someone kills someone else in your book?

Me: Um…

L: …

Me: …

L: I don’t think you should have anyone kill anyone, Mummy. Is that really the sort of story you want to be writing?

Me: …

L: *stern look*

Me: OK. Fine. No one kills anyone. No one dies ever, is that better? 

L: Yes.

Me: OK. But, you know, sometimes bad things have to happen to your characters in order to make a story more interesting…

L: But you don’t have to make them die though, do you? You could just make something else happen.

Me: Like… a giant, green alien pops up out of the ground and hands everyone a bunch of flowers?

L: …

Me: …

L: Maybe I should help you write your stories, Mum.

Me: *clicks sulkily onto Reddit*

---

Monday:

B (2) enters office bearing a bowl from the kitchen which he proudly holds aloft.

B: Nack! Nack!

Me: Snack? You want a snack?

B: Yes! Come’un Mumma. ‘At way!

*I go and get him a snack and he disappears contentedly into the living room*

-TWO MINUTES LATER-

B: Nack! Nack!

Me: No, that’s enough snacks for now.

B: Joo! Joo!

Me: You already have juice. Why don’t you go and draw me a picture? Here’s some paper and a crayon. I’ll come and see what you’ve drawn in a bit.

-FIVE MINUTES LATER-

Me: *enters living room to find blank piece of paper on the floor, B staring at the TV which wasn’t on before, crayon nowhere to be found* Why’s the TV on? Where’s your lovely picture you were going to do?

B: …

Me: Why are there lines all over the wall, B?

B: …

Me: Did you draw on the wall?

B: *proudly* Yes! Luffly pic’kur!

Me: *mutters under breath while fetching damp cloth*

B: *has meltdown as artwork is destroyed and crayon placed on high shelf*

Me: *wonders if it’s too early for a G&T. Upon discovery that it is only 11am, decides to get B another snack. Gets one for self too. Wonders why jeans feel snug.*

---

Wednesday:

Me: A, what was the thing you were trying to ask me about elephants and bananas again?

A: It was. Um. You shouldn’t peel an elephant.

Me: But why would you want to peel an elephant?

A:      *thinks very hard* Because… Maybe he wasn’t being very sensible.

Me:  *confused* Who, the elephant or the person peeling it?

A: *with the air of talking to someone incredibly stupid* No, the banana of course.

Me: …

L: Mummy, you know she’s trying to tell the one from my elephant joke book, what’s the difference between an elephant and a banana – you can peel a banana but you can’t-

Me: …peel an elephant! *laughs slightly maniacally*

L: *looks at me with an expression of mild concern* It’s not that funny.

A: But why can you peel a banana but not an elephant?

FML.