Keeping a straight face

Sometimes kids have behaviours that must, unquestionably, be corrected. I try to keep to the rule that whatever doesn't hurt them or others is fair enough game. But "hurt" can be interpreted in a number of manners. So when Maïa began to use her markers on more than just paper products, I realised that her artistic endeavours, however ernest, had to be curtailed. She was writing on tables, on hands, on toys — all at daycare, no less. Thanks to the folks at Crayola, it was easy enough to clean up the mess with water and paper towels, but with every incident, the teachers were becoming more annoyed and less understanding.

One particular episode left us utterly speechless. And not in the this-is-so-terrible-I-can't-even-speak-now manner. Rather, in the this-is-too-funny-to-try-to-comment manner. I could try to describe it, but a picture is worth a thousand words, as they say:



Within moments, at least five other girls in the class were similarly adorned. It's hard to discipline your kid when she's so creative and she's the ring leader...