"Papa, my Mom said you lost your job last week," inquired my grandson with a look of concern that belied his tender seven years. "How will you be able to buy your food Papa?" he quickly asked before I could get a word in edge wise.

"Don't worry about that Man," I shot back before he fired off another question. "Papa has a few tricks up his sleeve."

"But Papa," he said immediately after I got my last word out, "I have a plan."

Oh no I thought, with the few moments I had in between sentences. What's he up to now. The last time we had one of these sessions he ended up with a whole weeks worth of punishment.

Yes, I was concerned because if he gets another week it seems as though I'm under punishment too. I enjoy our talks just as much as he does.

"What is it Man, what plan have you cooked up now?" I asked in a half-worried way.

He looked around. He really was on the look out for his Mom. He thinks she has long ears that extend and swing around corners. He once told me that she even says what he thinks! I told him that my Mom was like that too.

He drew a bit closer. Using his sheepish smile to full effect, safe in the thought that Mom couldn't hear, he told me his plan.

"I'm going to eat half my breakfast, half my lunch and half my supper. I'll sneak the other half to you Papa."

The boy was serious.

"Aww," I purred, "thank you Man, you're so thoughtful." I proudly added.

"That will mean tricking your Mom three times everyday. Can you handle that? That's a whole lot of tricking. What happens if she finds out?"

I could tell he hadn't thought that far. But he fired back, "I'll think of something Papa, she thinks I eat all of my pumpkin, but I don't."

In the end, I convinced him to hold off on his plan for now. I still had food in the cupboards. When things get really bad I'll let him know.

He was content with that.

Aren't children so different? His older brother also knows I lost my job, but you would never know. He hasn't said a word to me.

But my youngest grandson is really concerned that I lost my job and that I was going to starve to death. Children handle information in different ways. I suppose what I'm trying to say is this. You really have to know your child.