An Aside

My husband once said that he did not support lying to children - specifically our own then theoretical children - about the existence of Santa Claus and his elves, preferring instead the colder, harsher reality of a world without magic but full of hard truth. And yet he just faked a phone call from the cat to convince Emmaline that her presence was needed upstairs for petting and, by extension, for bed. When that was somewhat less effective, he gave her money to "feed the pig". We are batting a thousand here.