When our daughter was little we lived in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Bears prowled around the woods on the edge of our back yard. And occasionally one came out to look in the window at me. (okay, okay, that only happened once... but it was traumatic!)

Understandably, our daughter was fearful of being outside without a parent with her. Recently, she told me that I reassured her by telling her this:

"Oh honey! You are so sweet that any big old bear would save you for dessert. He'd eat your brothers first and since you have three of them, that will give you plenty of time to get to the house."

Good grief. What was I thinking???