The following excerpt is from "Chicken Soup for the Grandparents' Soul." It was written by Barbara Cornish, and is titled, "Thoughts from a Three-Year-Old."

"Children are unpredictable. you never know what inconsistency they're going to catch you in next."

-- Franklin P. Jones

Because of adult perspectives, our expectations from children, when they answer us, can be quite different than what actually takes place.

My three-year-old son had been told several times to go into the bathroom to get washed for bed. The last time I told him more assertively. His response was, "Yes, Sir!"

Being his mother, I didn't expect the "sir."

"You say, 'Yes, Sir,' to a man. To a lady, you would say, 'Yes, Ma'am.'" So to quiz him on his lesson I queried, "What would you say to Daddy?"

"Yes, Sir!" came the reply.

"Then what would you say to Mama?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" he proudly remarked.

"Good boy! Now what would you say to Grandma?"

Being used to his usual question posed to Grandma, he lit up and said, "Can I have a cookie?"