Proof that children listen

Late at night, mother drives to pick up daughter from a school thing.

Daughter gets in car, all happy and announces, "Mom, a boy asked me out."

Picture mother's eyes widening, skin turning a pale moon white, jaw bouncing off of steering wheel, all to the sounds of a missed second gear.

"What did you say?"

"I said, 'No.'"

Color comes back into mother's face. Death grip relaxes on steering wheel. Car limps into third. "And what did the boy say?"

"OK."

Large sigh of relief, still being heard around the world.

"Yeah, I told him, my mom said a boyfriend just complicates things."

Mother is still smiling.