That's not fair!

Today, my six-year-old Em was whining saying, "That's NOT FAIR!"  This was in response to my denial of her request to have a cookie, after eating Halloween candy without limits all day long.  I gave my stock response of "Life's not fair, get used to it."  My mother, who is visiting, had a different response.

"Em, do you know what I told all my children when they said that to me?" Grandma asked. "I told them to write down all the things in life that were fair, so that I would know."

Em's eyes lit up.  "Okay!" she said as she ran off to find a pen.

Grandma looked at me.  "I never had a kid actually take me up on that suggestion, though."

A few minutes later, Em returned with a carefully written list of Fair/Not Fair.  On it were four items:

• Fair:  Playing outside
• Not Fair:  Not playing outside
• Fair:  Painting
• Not Fair:  Not painting

So, basically, things are fair when she gets to play outside and/or paint.  And when she is denied these activities, life is not fair.

Glad we got that cleared up.