Go to sleep...

In seven hours Kenzo and Mabel will be getting on a bus to go to church camp. For the last hour Kenzo has been rattling around her room and the house, "I can't get to sleep."

First she needed to do something to her retainer, then she was "so hungry her stomach was eating itself," and then "just too awake." And on and on...

And I just want her to sleep. Because she is going to camp and will get about seven minutes of sleep every night and will be running ninety-to-nuthin' the rest of the time and I desperately want her to have a great time.

Cause she tends to get a bit...uhm...grumpy when she is tired.

And my explanation of why she can't watch The Disney Channel until she's ready to fall asleep and that she simply needs to get to sleep because "you'll be tired...it's a big week...want you to have fun" falls on deaf ears is answered with the ever-present "why?"

Why?

WHY?

WHY!!!!!

I wish that in times like this when she asks the "w" question I had time to launch into a review of my 40-years of life experience plus some education and a pile of mistakes and regrets, mixed with the (limited) wisdom that comes in living and being a dad and give her a big well thought out and completely honest and objective response based on facts and research...but normally I don't have that luxury, so I just have to say, "Kenzo, I'm your Dad, and that is why you have to trust me on this one."

And that is why you need to go to bed. Right now.

Because I'm dad.

(remember, you said I was the best dad in the whole world this morning...sweet dreams.)