In order to get my daughter to respond, sometimes it's necessary to pitch forth a completely farfetched idea to solicit some sort of response. It'll eventually lead to a few more responses and finally, the point has been made.

It's what you have to do as a parent to get your kid thinking and finishing up those stupid homework assignments.

So, I decided not to let Mikayla go on a school trip because she suffers from motion sickness and both mum and I could not accompany her on Wednesday. Miki was extremely upset because she didn't like to be left behind. But mum's eye appointment is far more important than a trip to the damn MTA Transit Museum.

The last time Mikayla went to a trip unaccompanied, she barfed all over herself in the dead of winter and stank up the entire school bus. Fortunately, one of the moms carried an extra set of clothing for her to change (even though they were boy's clothing) and one of the teachers did a great job in cleaning up the vomit. The pitiful thing was the bus ride went from Chinatown to Lincoln Center which isn't exactly far. It was unfortunate to have a student driver that day...OY!!!!

While she spent her time in the Pre-K class, she made a large Valentine with multiple lines of the letter written across the cutout. On the back, she drew a mass congregation of birds flying about. Oh wait, they're not just birds...they're VULTURES. Instead of cutesy kitties or puppies or even girlies, we have VULTURES drawn on the back of the Valentine with "I LOVE YOU" written sideways.

Really makes you wonder what inspired her, huh?

Anyhoo, when I picked her up later that day, I saw the artwork. She gave me an entire synopsis of what her vultures were doing. I asked her about the "I LOVE YOU" part, just to elicit some Mikayla-isms - haven't had those in a long while.

Mom: So, Mikayla, you wrote I love you here. Who is this for?

Miki: It's for you, mommy. I love YOU. It's a Valentine I made in Teacher Luisa's class.

Mom: I love you too, sweetie. Now, are you going to give this daddy?

Miki: No.

Mom: Why not?

Miki: Because he's a bad boy. He makes frun of me. I don't like that.

Mom: Um, how about grandma?

Miki: Um, I don't know.

Mom: You don't know?

Miki: [Shrugs] I dunno.

Mom: So who else would you give it to? I mean, someone else...how about Joyce?

Miki: NO! I DON'T LOVE HER! THAT'S SILLY! She's my best friend!

Mom: Hmmm...how about Chie?

Miki: No. She's not even here.

Mom: Okay, then, how about Curt?

Miki: [Gives me a dirty look] NO! That's too embarrassing!

Mom: What about Roland?

Miki: NO!!! [Really exasperated now] I can't give him the Valentine because we're not allowed to go up on the stage mommy!! Aiyah!

Okay, now she's aware there are boundaries at this age. When we went to the Today Show nearly 2 years ago, she couldn't understand why we stood behind these rails and why Roland couldn't come off the stage to say hi to her. So of course, I didn't expect this answer at all. I thought she'd get annoyed enough to tell me to bugger off. Her idea of love has something to do with hugging and kissing, so it's okay for her to kiss mommy, but not with anyone else. Hmm...except Roland, maybe?