Ah, the joys of being a parent of a school-aged (Pre-K counts) child. Here’s our eldest negotiating for make-up rights, because her friends are doing it, Dad!

Rae: Well, I want to put on nail polish tonight.
Me: Why?
Rae: Well, Aliyah and Lindsey wore nail polish the other day.
Me: And?
Rae: Well, Camille had some on too!
Me: So?
Rae: Well, I want to put some on tonight after school!
Jenn: We’ll see, since we’re really busy because of the holidays.
Rae: Well, ….
Jenn: We can definitely do it this weekend before Santa comes.

This is what it’s become: Raelyn begins every sentence she utters with the word “Well,” and she’s using the well-worn trope of “my friends are doing it” to convince her parents that she should be allowed to follow suit.

Parenthood, what hath you wrought?